
Glass BFl A-S 1 
Book T* 



2-2- 



APPARITIONS ; 

OR, 

THE MYSTERY OF 



HAUNTED HOUSES, 

DEVELOPED. 
" Animum rege." 



*** " This Collection of Stories is well chosen, and 
affords a fund of amusement that is cheap at the price of 
five shillings. By putting such a book as this into the hands 
of children, parents will more effectually guard their minds 
against weak credulity, than by grave philosophic admo- 
nition." Monthly Revievc, October 1814, 



PriuUd by Macdonald and Son, Cloth Fair, SxnitbfieW 





U*^ c'ui//////w J^ycJfW/'/ < 



APPARITIONS ; 

OR, THE MYSTERY OF 

Hobgoblins, and Haunted Houses, 
DEVELOPED. 

BEING A COLLECTION OF 

ENTERTAINING STORIES, 

FOUNDED ON FACT, 

And selected for the purpose of 

ERADICATING THOSE FEARS, WHICH THE IGNORANT, THE WEAK, 

AND THE SUPERSTITIOUS, ARE BU I TOO APT TO ENCOURAGE, 

FOR WANT OF PROPERLY EXAMINING INTO THE CAUSES 

OF SUCH ABSURD IMPOSITIONS. 




SECOND EDITION, ENLARGED. 



lonDon t 

PRINTED FOR LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO. 

FINSBURY SQUARE. 

1815. 



INTRODUCTION 



1 HE subsequent little Work owes its rise and 
progress to very trifling circumstances. 

In the early part of my life, having read many 
books in favour of Ghosts and Spectral Appear- 
ances, the recollection remained so strong in my 
mind, that, for years after, the dread of phantoms 
bore irresistible sway. This dread continued till 
about my twenty-third year, when the following 
simple affair fully convinced me, how necessary it 
was thoroughly to investigate every thing that 
tended to supernatural agency, lest idle fear 
should gain a total ascendancy over my mind. 

About this period, I had apartments in a large 
old-fashioned country mansion. From my bed- 
chamber was a secret door leading to a private 
staircase, which communicated with some of the 
lower rooms. This door was fastened both within 
and without ; consequently all fear of intrusion 
from that quarter was entirely removed. How- 
a ever, 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

ever, at times, I could not help ruminating on the 
malpractices that might have been committed by 
evil-disposed persons, through this communica- 
tion ; and " busy meddling fancy" was fertile in 
conjuring up imaginary horrors. Every thing, 
however, was quiet, and agreeable to my wishes, 
for some months after my arrival. One moon- 
light night, in the month of June, I retired to my 
bed, full of thought, but slept soundly till about 
one o'clock ; when I awoke, and discovered, by the 
help of the moon which shone full in my room, a 
tall figure in white, with arms extended, at the 
foot of my bed. Fear and astonishment over- 
powered me for a few seconds ; I gazed on it 
with terror, and was afraid to move. At length I 
had courage to take a second peep at this disturber 
of my rest, and still continued much alarmed, and 
irresolute how to act. I hesitated whether to 
speak to the figure, or arouse the family. The 
first idea I considered as a dangerous act of hero- 
ism ; the latter, as a risk of being laughed at, 
should the subject of my story not prove superna- 
tural. Therefore, after taking a third view of the 
phantom, I mustered up all my resolution, jumped 
out of bed, and boldly went up to the figure, 
grasped it round and round, and found it incorpo- 
real. I then looked at it again, and felt it again ; 
when, reader, judge of my astonishment — this 

ghostly 



INTRODUCTION. VII 

ghostly spectre proved to be nothing more than a 
large new flannel dressing-gown which had been sent 
home to me in the course of the day, and which 
had been hung on some pegs against the wainscot 
at the foot of my bed. One arm accidentally 
crossed two or three of the adjoining pegs, and 
the other was nearly parallel by coming in con- 
tact with some article of furniture which stood 
near. Now the mystery was developed : this 
dreadful hobgoblin, which a few minutes before I 
began to think was an aerial being, or sprite, and 
which must have gained admission either through 
the key-hole, or under the door, turned out to be 
my own garment. I smiled at my groundless fears, 
was pleased with my resolution, returned light- 
hearted to my bed, and moralized nearly the whole 
of the night on the simplicity of a great part 
of mankind in being so credulous as to believe 
every idle tale, or conceive every noise to be a 
spectre, without first duly examining into causes. 

This very trifling accident was of great service 
to me as I travelled onward through life. Similar 
circumstances transpired. Screams, and shades, 
I encountered ; which always, upon due investi- 
gation, ended in " trifles light as air." 

Nor did the good end here. My story circu- 
lated, and put other young men upon the alert, to 
guard against similar delusions. They likewise 
a 2 imparted 



VI11 INTRODUCTION, 

imparled to me their ghostly encounters, and 
those I thought deserving of record I always com- 
mitted to writing ; and, as many of them are well 
authenticated facts, and both instructive and 
amusing, they form a part of the volume now 
presented to the Public. 

The other stories are selected from history, and 
respectable publications; forming in the whole, I 
hope, an antidote against a too credulous belief in 
every village tale, or old gossip's story. 

Though I candidly acknowledge to have re- 
ceived great pleasure in forming this Collection, 
1 would by no means wish it to be imagined, that I 
am sceptical in my opinions, or entirely disbelieve 
and set my face against all apparitional record. 
No ; I do believe that, for certain purposes, and 
on certain and all-wise occasions, such things 
are, and have been permitted by the Almighty; 
but by no means do I believe they are suffered to 
appear half so frequently as our modern ghost- 
mongers manufacture them. Among the various 
idle talcs in circulation, nothing is more common 
than the prevalent opinion concerning what is ge- 
nerally called a death-watch, and which is vulgarly 
believed to foretel the death of some one in the 
family. " This is," observes a writer in the 
Philosophical Transactions, " a ridiculous fancy 
crept into vulgar heads, and employed to terrify 

and 



INTRODUCTION. IS 

and affright weak people as a monitor of ap- 
proaching death." Therefore, to prevent such 
causeless fears, I shall take this opportunity to 
undeceive the world, by shewing what it is, and 
that no such thing is intended by it. It has ob- 
tained the name of death-watch, by making a 
little clinking noise like a watch; which having 
given some disturbance to a gentleman in his 
chamber, who was not to be affrighted with such 
vulgar errors, it tempted him to a diligent search 
after the true cause of this noise, which I shall 
relate in his own words. 

" I have been, some time since, accompanied 
with this little noise. One evening, [ sat down by 
a table from whence the noise proceeded, and laid 
my watch upon the same, and perceived, to my 
admiration, that the sound made by this invisible 
automaton was louder than that of the artificial 
machine. Its vibrations would fall as regular, 
but much quicker. Upon a strict examination, it 
was found to be nothing but a little beetle, or spi- 
der, in the wood of a box." Sometimes they are 
found in the plastering of a wall, and at other 
times in a rotten post, or in some old chest or 
trunk ; and the noise is made by beating its head 
on the subject that it finds fit for sound. " The 
little animal that I found," says the gentleman, 
ft was about two lines and a half long, calling a 

line 



X INTRODUCTION. 

line the eighth part of an inch. The colour was 
a dark brown, with spots somewhat lighter, and 
irregularly placed, which could not easily be 
rubbed off." It was sent to the publisher of the 
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal So- 
ciety. 

Some people, influenced by common report, 
have fancied this little animal a spirit sent to ad- 
monish them of their deaths ; and, to uphold the 
fancy, tell you of other strange monitors altoge- 
ther as ridiculous. Though, as I before observed, 
I do not deny but the Almighty may employ un- 
usual methods to warn us at times of our ap- 
proaching ends, yet in general, such common 
and unaccountable tales are mere nonsense, 
originating from want of a proper investigation, 
and kept alive by an infatuated delight in telling 
strange stories, rendered more ridiculous by reca- 
pitulation. How charmingly does our poet 
Thomson touch upon this subject — 

" Meantime the village rouses up the fire ; 
While, well attested, and as well believ'd, 
Heard solemn, goes the goblin story round; 
Till superstitious horror creeps o'er all." 

How cautious then ought parents and guardians 
to be over their children, and the young people 
committed to their charge. For, says an elegant 
writer, the superstitious impressions made upon 

their 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

their minds, by the tales of weak and ignorant 
people in their infancy; a time when the tender 
mind is most apt to receive the impressions of 
error and vice, as well as those of truth and virtue, 
and, having once received either the one or the 
other, is likely to retain them as long as it sub- 
sists in the body. All these deplorable follies 
proceed from wrong and unworthy apprehensions 
of God's providence, in his care of man, and go- 
vernment of the world. Surely no reasonable 
creature can ever imagine, that the all-wise God 
should inspire owls and ravens to hoot out the ele- 
gies of dying men; that he should have ordained 
a fatality in numbers, inflict punishment without 
an offence ; and that being one amongst the fatal 
number at a table, should be a crime (though 
contrary to no command) not to be expiated but 
by death ! Thus folly, like gunpowder, runs in a 
train from one generation to another, preserved 
and conveyed by the perpetual tradition of tattling 
gossips. 

I now conclude this Introduction ; and, in the 
following pages, shall present my readers with 
some admirable Essays on the subject by eminent 
writers : and a Collection of Stories will follow, 
which, I trust, will not only entertain, but like- 
wise convince the thinking part of mankind of 

the 



xii INTRODUCTION. 

the absurdity in believing every silly tale with- 
out first tracing the promulgation to its original 
source; for 

« Whatever warms the heart, or fills the head, 
As the mind opens, and its functions spread, 
Imagination plies her dangerous art, 
And pours it all upon the pecant part." 

J. TAYLOR. 

London, March 20, 1815. 



AN 



ESSAY 



GHOSTS AND APPARITIONS. 



J. HERE is no folly more predominant, in the 
country at least, than a ridiculous and superstitious 
fear of ghosts and apparitions. Servants, nurses, 
old women, and others of the same standard of 
wisdom, to pass away the tediousness of a winter's 
evening, please and terrify themselves, and the 
children who compose their audience, with strange 
relations of these things, till they are even afraid of 
removing their eyes from one another, for fear of 
seeing a pale spectre entering the room. Fright- 
ful ideas raised in the minds of children take so 
strong a possession of the faculties, that they 
often remain for ever fixed, and all the arguments 
of reason are unable to remove them. Hence it 
B is, 



14 ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

is, that so many grown-up people still keep the 
ridiculous fears of their infancy. I know a lady, 
of very good sense in other things, who, if she is 
left by herself after ten o'clock at night, will 
faint away at the terror of thinking some horrid 
spectre, with eyes sunk, meagre countenance, and 
threatening aspect, is standing at her elbow. And 
an Officer in the Guards, of my acquaintance, 
who has often, abroad, shewn no concern in 
marching up to the mouth of a cannon, has not 
courage enough to be in the dark without com- 
pany. As 1 take the fear of ghosts, like all other 
prejudices, to be imbibed in our infancy, I would 
recommend this advice to parents — to use the 
utmost care, that the minds of their children are 
not vitiated by their servants' tales of ghosts, hob- 
goblins, and bugbears ; which, though told to 
please, or frighten them into good, seldom fail of 
producing the very worst effects. 

There are some who are ghost-mad, and terrify 
themselves, because the Scripture has mentioned 
the appearance of ghosts. I shall not dispute, 
but, by the power of God, an incorporeal being 
may be visible to human eyes; but then, an ail- 
wise Pow- r would not have recourse to a preter- 
natural effect but on some important occasion. 
Therefore, my intention is only to laugh a ridi- 
culous fear out of the world, by shewing on what 

absurd 



AND APPARITIONS. 15 

absurd and improbable foundations the common 
nature of ghosts and apparitions are built. 

In the country, there are generally allowed to 
be two sorts of ghosts; — the vulgar ghost, and the 
ghost of dignity. The latter is always the spirit 
of some Lord of the Manor, or Justice of the 
Peace, who, still desirous to see how affairs go 
on in his parish, rattles through it in a coach and 
six, much about midnight. This ghost is, iu 
every respect, the very same man that the person 
whom he represents was in his life-time. Nay, 
the spirit, though incorporeal, has on its body all 
the marks which the Squire had on his ; the scar 
on the cheek, the dimple on the chin, and twenty 
other demonstrative signs, which are visible to 
any old woman in the parish, that can see clearly 
in a dark night ! 

The ghost keeps up to the character of a good 
old grave gentleman, who is heartily sorry to think 
his son will not live upon his estate, but ram- 
bles up to London, and runs it out, perhaps, in 
extravagance. He therefore does nothing incon- 
sistent with the gravity of his character; but, still 
retaining the generous heart of a true Briton, 
keeps up his equipage, and loves good living and 
hospitality ; for, a little time after the coach and 
six has, with a solemn ramble, passed through 
the village into his own court-yard, there is a 
B 2 great 



16 ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

great noise heard in the house, of servants run- 
ning up and down stairs, the jacks going, and a 
great clattering of plates and dishes. Thus he 
spends an hour or two every midnight, in living 
well, after he has been some years dead; but is 
complaisant enough to leave every thing, at his 
departure, in the same position that he found 
them. 

There is scarcely a little town in all England, 
but has an old female spirit appertaining to it, 
who, in her high-crown hat, nicely clean linen, and 
red petticoat, has been viewed by half the parish. 
This article of dress is of mighty concern among 
some ghosts ; wherefore a skilful and learned ap- 
parition writer, in the Preface of Drelincourt on 
Death, makes a very pious ghost talk to a lady 
upon the important subject of scouring a mantua. 
Before I leave my ghost of dignity, I must lake 
notice of some who delight to seem as formi- 
dable as possible, and who are not content with 
appearing without heads themselves, but their 
coachmen and horses must be without their's too, 
and the coach itself frequently all on fire. These 
spirits, I know not for what reason, are univer- 
sally allowed to have been people of first quality, 
and courtiers. 

As for the vulgar ghost, it seldom appears in 
its own bodily likeness, unless it be with a throat 

cut 



AND APPARITIONS. 17 

exit from ear to car, or a winding-sheet; but 
humbly contents itself with the body of a white 
horse, that gallops over the meadows without 
legs, and grazes without a head. On other occa- 
sions, it takes the appearance of a black shock 
dog, which, with great goggle, glaring eyes, stares 
you full in the face, but never hurts you more 
than unmannerly pushing you from the walL 
Sometimes a friendly ghost surprises you with 
a hand as cold as clay ; at other times, that same 
ghostly hand gives three solemn raps, with several 
particularities, according to the different disposi- 
tions of the ghost. 

The chief reason which calls them back again 
to visit the world by night, is their fondness for 
some old broad pieces, or a pot of money, they 
buried in their life-time ; and they cannot rest to 
have it lie useless, therefore the gold raises them 
before the resurrection. 

Mr. Addison's charming Essay, in the Spectator, 
is so applicable and prefatory to a work of this 
nature, that we cannot resist inserting that inimi- 
table, production in his own words. 

" Going to dine," says he, " with an old ac- 
quaintance, I had the misfortune lo find his whole 
family very much dejected. Upon asking him the 
occasion of it, he told me that his wife had dreamt 
a strange dream the night before, which they 
B 3 were 



18 - :essay on ghosts 

were afraid portended some misfortune to them- 
selves or to their children. At her coming into 
the room, I observed a settled melancholy in her 
countenance, which I should have been troubled 
for, had I not heard from whenee it proceeded. 
We were no sooner sat down, but, after having 
looked upon me a little while, ' My dear,' says 
she, turning to her husband, c you may now see 
' the stranger that Avas in the candle last night/ 
Soon after this, as they began to talk of family 
affairs, a little boy at the lower end of the table 
told her, that he was to go into join-hand on 
Thursday. ' Thursday !' says she ; ' no, child j 
if it please God, you shall not begin upon Chil- 
dermas-day : tell your writing-master, that Friday 
will be soon enough.' I was reflecting with my- 
self on the oddness of her fancy, and wondering 
that any body would establish it as a rule to 
lose a day in every week. In the midst of these 
my musings, she desired me to reach her a 
little salt upon the point of my knife, which I 
did in such a trepidation and hurry of obedience, 
that I let it drop by the way; at which she imme- 
diately startled, and said it fell towards her. 
Upon this I looked very blank; and, observing 
the concern of the whole table, began to con- 
sider myself, with some confusion, as a person 
that -had brought a disaster upon the family. 

The 



AND APPARITIONS. W 

The lady, however, recovering herself after a 
little space, said to her husband, with a sigh, ' My 
dear, misfortunes never come single.' My friend, 
I found, acted but an under part at his table ; and, 
being a man of more good-nature than under- 
standing, thinks himself obliged to fall in with 
all the passions and humours of his yoke-fellow. 
' Do not you remember, child/ said she, ' that the 
pigeon-house fell the very afternoon that our care- 
less wench, spilt the salt upon the table V ' Yes/ 
says he, ' my dear; and the next post brought us 
an account of the battle of Almanza/ The reader 
may guess at the figure I made, after having done 
all this mischief. I dispatched my dinner as soon 
as I could, with my usual taciturnity ; when, to my 
utter confusion, the lady seeing me quitting my 
knife and fork, and laying them across one an- 
other upon the plate, desired rne that I would 
humour her so far as to take them out of that 
figure, and place them side by side. What the 
absurdity was which I had committed, I did not 
know, but I suppose there was some traditionary 
superstition in it; and therefore, in obedience to 
the lady of the house, I disposed of my knife and 
fork in two parallel lines, which is the figure I 
shall always lay them in for the future, though I 
do not know any reason for it. 

" It is not difficult for a man to see that a per- 
b 4 son 



20 ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

son has conceived an aversion to him. For my 
own part, I quickly found, by the lady's looks, 
that she regarded me as a very odd kind of fellow, 
with an unfortunate aspect. For which reason I 
took my leave immediately after dinner,, and with- 
drew to my own lodgings. Upon my return- 
home, I fell into a profound contemplation on the^ 
evils that attend these superstitious follies of man< 
kind ; how they subject us to imaginary afflictions 
and additional sorrows, that do not properly come 
within our lot. As if the natural calamities of 
life were not sufficient for it, we turn the most in- 
different circumstances into misfortunes, and suffer 
as much from trifling accidents as from real evils. 
I have known the shooting of a star spoil a night's 
rest ;, and have seen a man in love grow pale, and 
lose his appetite, upon the plucking of a merry- 
thought. A screech-owl. at midnight has alarmed 
a family more than a band of robbers; nay, the 
voice of a cricket hath struck more terror than 
the roaring of a lion. There is nothing so incon- 
siderable, which may not appear dreadful to an 
imagination that is filled with omens and prognos- 
tics. A rusty nail, or a crooked pin, shoot up 
into prodigies. 

** 1 remember, I was once in a mixed assembly, 
that was full of noise and mirth, when on a sudden 
an old woman unluckily observed there were thir- 
teen 



AND APPARITIONS. 21 

teen of us in company. This remark struck a 
panic terror into several who were present, inso- 
much that one or two of the ladies were going to 
leave the room : but a friend of mine, taking no- 
tice that one of our female companions was big 
with child, affirmed there were fourteen in the 
room ; and that, instead of portending one of the 
company should die, it plainly foretold one of 
them should be born. Had not my friend found 
out this expedient to break the omen, I question 
not but half the women in the company would 
have fallen sick that very night. 

" An old maid, that is troubled with the vapours, 
produces infinite disturbances of this kind among 
her friends and neighbours. I once knew a 
maiden aunt, of a great family, who is one of 
these antiquated sybils, that forebodes and pro- 
phesies from one end of the year to the other. 
She is always seeing apparitions, and hearing 
death-watches; and was the other day almost 
frightened out of her wits by the great house-dog, 
that howled in the stable at a time when she lay 
ill of the tooth-ach. Such an extravagant cast of 
mind engages multitudes of people not only in 
impertinent terrors, but in supernumerary duties 
of life; and arises from that fear and ignorance 
which are natural to the soul of man. The hor- 
ror with which we entertain the thoughts of death, 
b 5 or 



22, . ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

or indeed of any future evil, and the uncertainty 
of its approach, fill a melancholy mind with innu- 
merable apprehensions and suspicions, and con- 
sequently dispose it to the observation of such 
groundless prodigies and predictions. For, as it 
is the chief concern of wise men to retrench the 
evils of life by the reasonings of philosophy, it is 
the employment of fools to multiply them by the 
sentiments of superstition. 

" For my own part, I should be very much 
troubled, were I endowed with this divining qua- 
lity, though it should inform me truly of every 
thing that can befal me. I would not anticipate 
the relish of any happiness, nor feel the weight of 
any misery, before it actually arrives. 

'" I know but one way of fortifying my soul 
against these gloomy presages and terrors of mind ; 
and that is, by securing to myself the friendship 
and protection of that Being who disposes of 
events, and governs futurity. He sees at one 
view the whole thread of my existence ; not only 
that part of it which I have already passed 
through, but that which runs forward into all the 
depths of eternity. When I lay me down to 
sleep, I recommend myself to his care; when I 
awake, I give myseJf up to his direction. Amidst 
all the evils that threaten me, I wilj look up to 
him for help, and question not but he will either 

avert 



AND APPARITIONS. 2d 

avert them, or turn them to my advantage. 
Though I know neither the time nor the manner 
of the death I am to die, I am not at all solicitous 
about it ; because I am sure that he knows them 
both, and that lie will not fail to comfort and sup- 
port me under them." 

In another paper, the same gentleman thus ex- 
presses himself on the same subject: — 

" I remember, last winter, there were several 
young girls of the neighbourhood sitting about the 
fire with my landlady's daughters, and telling sto- 
ries of spirits and apparitions. Upon my opening 
the door, the young women broke off their dis- 
course ; but my landlady's daughters telling them 
it was nobody but the gentleman (for that is the 
name which I go by in the neighbourhood as well 
as in the family), they went on without minding me. 
I seated myself by the candle that stood on a 
table at one end of the room; and, pretending to 
read a book that I took out of my pocket, heard 
several dreadful stories of ghosts as pale as ashes, 
that stood at the feet of a bed, or walked over 
a church-Yard by moonlight; and of others that 
had been conjured into the Red Sea, for disturb- 
ing people's rest, and drawing their curtains at 
midnight; with many other old women's fables of 
the like nature. As one spirit raised another, I 
observed that at the end of every story the whole, 
b 6 company 



24 ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

company closed their ranks, and crowded about 
the tire. I took notice in particular, of a little boy, 
who was so attentive to every story, that I am mis- 
taken if he ventures to go to bed by himself this 
twelvemonth. Indeed, they talked so long, that 
the imaginations of the whole assembly were ma- 
nifestly crazed, and, I am sure, will be the worse 
for it as long as they live. I heard one of the 
girls, that had looked upon me over her shoulder, 
asking the company how long I had been in the 
room, and whether I did not look paler than I 
used to do. This put me under some apprehen- 
sions that I should be forced to explain myself, if 
I did not retire ; for which reason I took the can- 
dle in my hand, and went up into my chamber, 
not without wondering at this unaccountable weak- 
ness in reasonable creatures, that they should love 
to astonish and terrify one another. Were I a 
father, I should take particular care to preserve 
my children from those little horrors ,of imagina- 
tion, which they are apt to contract when they 
are young, and are not able to shake off" when they 
are in years. I have known a soldier, that has 
entered a breach, affrighted at his own shadow, 
and look pale upon a little scratching at his door, 
who the day before had marched up against a 
battery of cannon. There are instances of per- 
sons who have been terrified, even to distraction, 

at 



AND APPARITIONS. 25 

at the figure of a tree, or the shaking of a bul- 
rush. The truth of it is, I look upon a sound 
imagination as the greatest blessing of life, next 
to a clear judgment and a good conscience. In 
the mean time, since there are very few whose 
minds are not more or less. subject to these dread- 
ful thoughts and apprehensions, we ought to arm 
ourselves against them by the dictates of reason 
and religion, to pull the old woman out of our 
hearts] (as Persius expresses it), and extinguish 
those impertinent notions which we imbibed at a 
time that we were not able to judge of their ab- 
surdity. Or, if we believe, as many wise and 
good men have done, that there are such phan- 
toms and apparitions as those I have been speak- 
ing of, let us endeavour to establish to ourselves 
an interest in Him who holds the reins of the 
whole creation in his hand, and moderates them 
after such a manner, that it is impossible for one 
being to break loose upon another without his 
knowledge and permission. 

" For my own part, I am apt to join in opinion ' 
with those who- believe that all the regions of 
nature swarm with spirits ; and that we have mul- 
titudes of spectators on all our actions, when we 
think ourselves most alone. But, instead of ter- 
rifying myself with such a notion, I am wonder- 
fully pleased to think that I am always engaged 

with 



28 ESSAY ON GHOSTS 

with suck an innumerable society, in searching- 
out the wonders of the creation, and joining in 
the same concert of praise and adoration. 

" Milton has finely described this mixed com- 
munion of men and spirits in Paradise ; and had, 
doubtless, his eye upon a verse in old Hesiod,, 
which is almost, word for word, the same with his 
third line in the following passage: — 

4 Nor think, though men were none, 

That Heav'n would want spectators, God want praise : 

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth 

Unseen, both when we wake and when, we sleep ; 

All these with ceaseless praise his works behold, 

Both day and night. How often from the steep 

Of echoing hill or thicket have we heard 

Celestial voices to the midnight air, 

Sole, or responsive each to other's note, 

Singing their great Creator ? Oft in bands, 

While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk, 

With heav'nly touch of instrumental sounds, 

In full harmonic number join'd, their songs 

Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heav'n.' — ' 7 

Another celebrated writer says — " Some are 
over credulous in these stories, others sceptical 
and distrustful, and a third sort perfectly infidel. 

" Mr. Locke assures us, we have as clear an idea 
of spirit as of body. But, if it be asked, how a 
spirit, that never was embodied, can form to itself 
a body, and come up into a world where it has 
no right of residence, and haye all its organs per-' 

fleeted 



AND APPARITIONS. 27 

fected at once; or how a spirit, once embodied, 
but now in a separate state, can take up its carcase 
out of the grave, sufficiently repaired, and make 
many resurrections before the last ; or how the 
dead can counterfeit their own bodies, and make 
to themselves an image of themselves; by what 
ways and means, since miracles ceased, this trans- 
formation can be effected ; by whose leave and 
permission, or by what power and authority, or 
with what wise design, and for what great ends and 
purposes, all this is done, we cannot easily ima- 
gine ; and the divine and philosopher together will 
find it very difficult to resolve such questions. 

" Before the Christian tera, some messages from 
the other world might be of use, if not necessary^ 
in some cases, and on some extraordinary occa- 
sions ; but since that time we want no new, nor 
can we have any surer, informations. 

" Conscience, indeed, is a frightful apparition 
itself; and I make no question but it oftentimes 
haunts an oppressing criminal into restitution, and, 
is a ghost to him sleeping or waking : nor is it 
the least testimony of an invisible world, that there 
is such a drummer as that in the soul, that can 
beat an alarm when he pleases, and so lend, as 
no other noise can drown it, no music quiet it, no 
power silence it, no jmrtli allay it, and' no bribe 
corrupt it." 

Inexhaustible 



28 ESSAY, ON GHOSTS, &C. 

Inexhaustible are the opinions on this subject: 
therefore we shall conclude this Essay, and pro- 
ceed to the more illustrative part of our work, 
without any further quotations; for various are 
the methods proposed by the learned for the lay- 
ing of ghosts and apparitions. Artificial ones are 
easily quieted, if we only take them for real and 
substantial beings, and proceed accordingly. 
Thus, when a Friar, personating an apparition, 
haunted the apartment of the late Emperor Joseph, 
King Augustus, then at the Imperial court, flung 
him out of the window, and laid him upon the 
pavement so effectually, that he never rose or 
appeared again in this world. . 



'29 



DOMINICAN FRIAR. 

An Extraordinary Event that happened lately 
at Aix-Ia-Chapelle. 

As the following story, which is averred to be 
authentic, and to have happened very lately, may 
serve to shew, that the stories of this kind, with 
which the public are, from time to time, every 
now and then alarmed, are nothing more than 
artful impostures, it is presumed, it will be useful 
as well as entertaining to our readers to give it 
a place. 

A person who kept a lodging-house near the 
springs at Aix-la-Chapelle, having lost his wife, 
committed the management of his family to his 
daughter, a sprightly, well-made, handsome girl, 
about twenty. 

There were, at that time, in the house, ,two 
ladies and their waiting-woman, two Dutch officers, 
aud a Dominican Friar. 

It happened, that, as the young woman of the 
house was asleep one night in her bed, she was 
awakened by something that attempted to draw 
the clothes off the bed. She was at first frightened ; 
but thinking, upon recollection, that it might be 

the 



30 DOMINICAN FRIAR. 

the house-dog, she called him by his name. The 
clothes, however, were still pulled from her; and 
she still imagining it was by the dog, took up a 
brush that lay in her reach, and attempted to strike 
him. At that moment she saw a flash of sudden 
light, that filled the whole room ; upon which she 
shrieked out ; all was again dark and silent, and 
the clothes were no longer drawn from her. 

In the morning, when she related this story, 
every one treated it as a dream ; and the girl her- 
self at last took it for granted, that it was n& 
more than an illusion. 

The night following, she was again awakened 
by something that jogged her, and she thought 
she felt a hand in the bed ; upon endeavouring to 
repress it, another flash of lightning threw her 
into a fit of terror: she shut her eyes, and crossed 
herself. When she ventured to open her eyes 
again, the light was vanished ; but, in a short time, 
she felt what she supposed to be a hand again in 
the bed : she again endeavoured to repress it, 
and, looking towards the foot of the bed, saw a 
large luminous cross, on which was written dis- 
tinctly, as with light, the words, " Be Silent /" 
She was now so terrified, that she had not power 
to break the injunction, but' shrunk down into 
the bed, and covered herself over with the 
clothes, 

Iff 



DOMINICAN FRIAR, ,31 

In this situation she continued a considerable 
time ; but, being again molested, she ventured 
once more to peep out, when, to her unspeakable 
astonishment, she saw a phantasm stand by the 
side of her bed, almost as high as the cieling : a 
kind of glory encircled its head, and the whole 
was in the form of a crucifix, except that it seemed 
to have several hands, one of which again ap- 
proached the bed. 

Supposing the phenomenon to be some celestial 
vision, she exerted all her fortitude, and, leaping 
out of bed, threw herself upon her knees before 
it ; but she instantly found herself assaulted in a 
manner which convinced her she was mistaken: 
she had not strength to disengage herself from 
something that embraced her, and therefore scream- 
ed out as loud as she could, to alarm the house, 
and bring somebody to her assistance. 

Her shrieks awakened the ladies who lay in an 
adjacent chamber, and they sent their woman to 
see what was the matter. The woman, upon open- 
ing the room, saw a luminous phantasm, which 
greatly terrified her, and heard, in a deep threat- 
ening tone, the words — " At thy peril he gone /"' 

The woman instantly screamed out, and with- 
drew : the ladies rose in the utmost consternation 
and terror, but nobody came to their assistance: 
the old man, the father of the girl, was asleep in a 

remote 



32 DOMINICAN FRIAH, 

remote part of the house ; the Friar also rested in 
a room at the end of a long gallery in another 
story; and the two Dutch officers were absent on- 
a visit, at a neighbouring village. 

No other violence, however, was offered to the 
girl that night. As soon as the morning dawned, 
she got up, ran down to her father, and told all 
that had happened : the two ladies were not long 
absent ; they did not say much, but quitted the 
house. The Friar asked the girl several ques- 
tions, and declared that he had heard other in- 
stances of the like nature, but said, the girl would 
do well to obey the commands of the vision, and 
that no harm would come of it. He said, he 
would remain to see the issue ; and, in the mean 
time, ordered proper prayers and masses to be 
said at a neighbouring convent of his order, to 
which he most devoutly joined his own. 

The girl was comforted with this spiritual as- 
sistance ; but> notwithstanding, took one of the 
maids to be her bedfellow the next night. In the 
dead of the night, the flaming cross was again 
visible, but no attempt was uiade on either of the 
women. They were, however, greatly terrified ; 
and the servant said, she would rather leave her 
place, than lie in the room again. 

The Friar, the next morning, took the merit of 
the spirit's peaceable behaviour to himself. The 

prayers 



DOMINICAN FRIAR. 33 

prayers and masses were renewed, and application 
was made to the convents at Liege for auxiliary 
assistance. The good Friar, in the mean time, 
was by no means idie at home: he performed his 
devotions with great ardour, and towards evening 
bestowed a plentiful libation of holy water on the 
chamber and the bed. 

The girl not being able to persuade the servant 
to sleep with her again in the haunted room, and 
being encouraged by the Friar to abide the issue, 
having also great confidence herself in the prayers, 
masses, and sprinklings, that had been used on the 
occasion, she ventured once more to sleep in the 
same room by herself. 

In the night, after hearing some slight noises, 
she saw the room all in a blaze, and a great num- 
ber of luminous crosses, with scraps of writing 
here and there very legible, among which the pre- 
cept to be silent was most conspicuous. 

In the middle of the room she saw something 
of a human appearance, which seemed covered 
only with a linen garment, like a shirt: it ap- 
peared to diffuse a radiance round it; and, at 
length, by a slow and silent pace, approached 
the bed. 

When it came up to the bed-side, it drew the 
curtain more open, and, lifting up the bed-clothes, 
was about to come in. The girl, now more terri- 
fied 



§4 DOMINICAN FRIAR. 

fied than ever, screamed out with all her power. , 
As every body in the house was upon the watch, 
she was heard by them all; but the father only 
had courage to go to her assistance, and his 
bravery was probably owing to. a considerable 
quantity o/ reliques, which he had procured 
from the convent, and which he brought in his 
hand. 

When he came, however, nothing was to be 
seen but some of the little crosses and inscrip- 
tions, several of which were now luminous only in 
part. 

Being himself greatly terrified at these appear- 
ances, he ran to the Friar's apartment, and with 
some difficulty prevailed upon him to go with him 
to the haunted room. The Friar at first excused 
himself upon account of the young woman's being- 
there in bed. As soon as he entered, and saw the 
crosses, he prostrated himself on the ground, and 
uttered many prayers and incantations, to which 
the honest landlord most heartily said Amen. 

The poor girl, in the mean time, lay in a kind 
of trance; and her father, when the prayers were 
over, ran down stairs for some wine, a cordial 
being necessary to recover her: the Friar, at 
the same time, ordered him to light and bring 
with him a consecrated taper; for hitherto they 
had no light but that of the vision, which was 

still 



DOMINICAN FRIAR. 35 

still strong enough to discover every thing in the 
room. 

In a short time the old man entered with a 
taper in his hand, and in a moment all the lumi- 
nous appearances vanished. The girl, soon after, 
recovered, and gave a very sensible account of all 
that had happened ; and the landlord and the 
Friar spent the rest of the night together. 

The Friar, however, to shew the power of the 
'daemon, and the holy virtue of the taper, removed 
it several times from the chamber, before the day 
broke, and the crosses and inscriptions were again 
visible, and remained so till the taper was brought 
back, and then vanished as at first. 

When the sun arose, the Friar took his leave to 
go to matins, and did not return till noon. In 
the mean time the two Dutch officers came home, 
and soon Jearnt what had happened, though the 
landlord took all the pains he could to conceal 
it. The reports they heard were confirmed by 
the pale and terrified appearance of the girl ; their 
curiosity was greatly excited, and they asked her 
innumerable questions. Her answers, instead of 
extinguishing, increased it. They assured the 
landlord, they would not leave his house, but, on 
the contrary, would atlurd him all the assistance 
in their pov,er. 

As they were young gentlemen of a military 

profession, 



36 DOMINICAN FRIAR. 

profession, and Protestants, they werfr at once 
bold and incredulous. They pretended, however, 
to adopt the opinion of the landlord, that the 
appearances were supernatural; but it happened 
that, upon going into the room, they found the 
remainder of the taper, on the virtues of which the 
landlord had so largely expatiated, and immedi- 
ately perceived that it was only a common candle 
of a large size, which he had brought by mistake 
in his fright. 

This discovery convinced them that there was 
a fraud, ;;nd that appearances that vanished at the 
approach of unconsecraled light must be produced 
by mere human artifice. 

They therefore consulted together, and at length 
agreed, that the masses should be continued ; that 
the landlord should not say one word of the can- 
dle, or the suspicions it had produced; that his 
daughter, the next night, should sleep in the 
apartment which had been quitted by the ladies ; 
and that one of the officers should lie in the girl's 
bed, while the other, with the landlord, should 
wait in the kitchen, to see the issue. 

This plan was accordingly, with great secrecy, 
carried into execution. 

For two hours after the officer had in bed, 
all was silent and quiet, and he began to suspect 
that the girl had either been fanciful, or that their 

secret 



DOMINICAN FRIAR. 37 

secret had transpired : when, all on a sudden, he 
heard the latch of the door gently raised ; and, 
perceiving something approach the bed and at- 
tempt to take up the clothes, he resisted with 
sufficient strength to frustrate the attempt, and 
immediately the room appeared to be all in a 
flame ; he saw many crosses, and inscriptions en- 
joining silence and a passive acquiescence in 
whatever should happen; he saw also, in the 
middle of the room, something of a human ap- 
pearance, very tall, and very luminous. The 
officer was at first struck with terror, and the 
vision made a second approach to the bed-side; 
but the gentleman, recovering his fortitude with 
the first moment of reflection, dexterously threw a 
slip knot, which he had fastened to one of the bed- 
posts, over the phantom's neck : he instantly drew 
it close, which brought him to the ground, and 
then threw himself upon him. The fall and the 
struggle made so much noise, that the other offi- 
cer and the landlord ran up with lights and wea- 
pons ; and the goblin was found to be no other 
than the good Friar, who, having conceived some- 
thing more than a spiritual affection for his land- 
lord's pretty daughter, had played this infernal 
farce, to gratify his passion. 

Being now secured and detected, beyond hope 
c of 



38 DOMINICAN FRIAR. 

of subterfuge or escape, he made a full confession 
of his guilt, and begged earnestly for mercy. 

It appeared that this fellow, who was near six 
feet high, had made himself appear still taller, 
by putting upon his head a kind of tiara of em- 
bossed paper, and had also thrust a stick through 
the sleeves of his habit, which formed the appear- 
ance of a cross, and still left his hands at liberty ; 
and that he had rendered himself and his appa- 
ratus visible in the dark by phosphorus. 

The landlord contented himself with giving his 
reverence a hearty drubbing, and then turning 
him out of doors, with a strict injunction to quit 
the territory of Liege for ever, upon pain of being 
much more severely treated. 

When it is considered, that it is but a few years 
ago, that a poor woman, within twenty miles of 
London, lost her life upon supposition that she was 
a witch; and that it is not many years since the 
Cock-lane ghost found advocates, even in the heart 
of London itself, among those who, before, were 
never accounted fools; it cannot but be useful 
to put down on record every imposition of this 
kind. 



3ft 



SUPERSTITIOUS COUPLE. 

In the letters from a gentleman on his travels in 
Italy to his friend in England, is the following cu- 
rious account of an experiment tried with the 
Bolognian stone, of which phosphorus is made. 

There was an English maid-servant in the house 
where we lodged, (observes this gentleman), and 
her bed-chamber was immediately over the one 
occupied by myself and friend. My companion 
having found his way into it, or, at least, suppo- 
sing he had done so, wrote with some paste made 
merely with flour and water, the terrible words — 
" remember death \" in great capitals, on the 
inside of the bed-curtains. Over the wet letters 
he strewed some of the crust prepared from this 
stone, which he had powdered for that purpose in 
a mortar ; and, when he had so done, called me 
up, to see the words in letters of fire. We sat up 
for the discovery; but something very different 
from what we had expected, happened. The 
Italians are bigots, and consequently superstitious. 
It happened that the room, into which my friend 
had found his way, was not, as he imagined, that 
of the maid-servant, but of a couple of devout 
people, who accidentally slept in the house. We 
c 2 heard 



40 SUPERSTITIOUS COUPLE. 

heard them undress ; and followed our scheme, by 
getting on the upper stairs near the door of the 
room: we heard two voices, and we saw the can- 
dle on a table near the bed-side. The lady was 
first in bed ; and the good man no sooner followed, 
than the candle was put out. On the instant of 
its extinction, appeared the terrible words. The 
lady screamed her prayers ; the husband trembled 
over his Ave-Marias. The letters were absolutely 
fire, and the bed was not injured. The language 
was unintelligible to those who saw the words ; 
and, perhaps, it was in that respect more terrify- 
ing, than if the admonition had been understood. 
The Mene Tekel of the prophet came into both 
their minds at once. They jumped out of bed, 
and alarmed the whole house. We were first in 
the room. My friend took occasion, in their con- 
fusion, to scrape off the whole matter very cleanly 
with his pocket knife. The company brought 
candles — there was nothing to be' seen. Both 
husband and wife pointed to the place where the 
writing had appeared ; but nothing but ''- some 
smeared dirt was visible there. My friend kept 
his counsel, and the miracle was blazed all over 
Bologna the next day ; and we left a legion of won- 
dering priests in the house at our departure ! 



41 
me 
HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 

A young gentleman, going down from London 
to the west of England, to the house of a very 
worthy gentleman, to whom he had the honour to 
be related ; it happened, that the gentleman's house 
was at that time full, by reason of a kinswoman's 
wedding, that had lately been kept there. He 
therefore told the young gentleman, that he was 
very glad to see him, and that he was very wel- 
come to him : " But," said he, " I know not how 
I shall do for a lodging for you ; for my cousin's 
marriage has not left a room free, save one, and 
that is haunted; but if you will lie there, you 
shall have a very good bed, and all other accom- 
modations." " Sir," replied the young gentleman, 
" you will very much oblige me by letting me lie 
there ; for I have often coveted to be in a place 
that was haunted." The gentleman, very glad 
that his kinsman was so well pleased with his ac- 
commodations, ordered the chamber to be got 
ready, and a good fire to be made in it, it being 
winter-time. When bed-time came, the young 
gentleman was conducted up into his chamber, 
which, besides a good fire, was furnished with all 
suitable accommodations; and, having recom- 
c 3 mended 



42 HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 

mended himself to the Divine protection, went 
to bed. Lying some time awake, and finding no 
disturbance, he fell asleep ; out of which, however, 
he was awaked about three o'clock in the morning, 
by the opening of the chamber-door, and the 
entrance of somebody in the appearance of a 
young woman, having a night-dress on her head, 
and only her shift on : but he had no perfect view 
of her, for his candle was burnt out; and though 
there was a fire in the room, yet it gave not light 
enough to see her distinctly. But this unknown 
visitant going to the ehimney, took the poker, and 
stirred up the fire ; by the flaming light whereof, 
he could discern the appearance of a young gen- 
tlewoman more distinctly ; but whether it was flesh 
and blood, or an airy phantom, he knew not. This 
appearance having stood seme time before the fire, 
as if to warm itself, at last walked two or three 
times about the room, and then came to the bed- 
side ; where having stood a little while, she took 
up the bed-clothes, and went into bed, pulling the 
bed-clothes upon her again, and lying very quietly. 
The young gentleman was a little startled at this 
unknown bed-fellow; and, upon her approach, lay 
on the further side of the bed, not knowing whe- 
ther he had best rise or not. At last, lying very 
still, he perceived his bed-fellow to breathe ; by 
which guessing her to be flesh and blood, he drew 

nearer 



HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 43 

nearer to her, and taking her by the hand, found 
it warm, and that it was no airy phantom, but 
substantial flesh and blood ; and finding she had 
a ring on her finger, he took it off unperceived. 
The gentlewoman being all this while asleep, he 
let her lie without disturbing her, and patiently 
waited the result of this singular situation. He 
had not long remained in suspense, when his fair 
companion hastily flung off the bed-clothes again, 
and getting up, walked three or four times about 
the room, as she had done before ; and then, 
standing awhile before the door, opened it, went 
out, and shut it after her. The young gentleman, 
perceiving by this in what manner the room was 
haunted, rose up, and locked the door on the 
inside ; and then lay down again, and slept till 
morning ; at which time the master of the house 
came to him, to know how he did, and whether 
he had seen any thing, or not ? He told him, that 
an apparition had appeared to him, but begged 
the favour of him that he would nol urge him to 
say any thing further, till the whole family were 
all together. The gentleman complied with his 
request, telling his young friend, that, having 
found him well, he was perfectly satisfied. 

The desire the whole family had to know the 

issue of this affair, made them dress with more 

expedition than usual, so that there was a general 

c 4 assembly 



44 HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 

assembly of the gentlemen and ladies before eleven 
o'clock, not one of them being willing to appear 
in dishabille. "When they we*e* all got together 
in the great hall, the young gentleman told them, 
•he had one favour to desire of the ladies before he 
would say any thing, and that was, to know whe- 
ther either of them had lost a ring 1 The young 
gentlewoman, from wlfose finger it was taken, 
having missed it all the morning, and not knowing 
how she lost it, was glad to hear of it again, and 
readily owned she wanted a ring. The young 
gentleman asked her if that was it, giving^t into 
her hand, which she acknowledging to be her\ 
and thanking him, he turned to his kinsman, the 
master of the house — " Now Sir," said he, " I 
can assure you," (taking the gentlewoman by the 
hand) " this is the lovely spirit by which your 
chamber is haunted." — And thereupon repeated 
what is related. 

I want words to express the confusion the young 
gentlewoman seemed to be in at this relation, who 
declared herself perfectly ignorant of all that he 
said; but believed it might be so, because of the 
ring, which she perfectly well remembered she had 
on when she went to bed, and knew not how she 
had lost it. 

This relation gave the whole company a great 
deal of diversion; for, after all, the father de- 
clared. 



HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 45 

clared, that since his daughter had already gone 
to hed to his kinsman, it should be his fault if he 
did not go to bed to his daughter, he being willing 
to bestow her upon him, and give her a good por- 
tion. This generous offer was so advantageous to 
the young gentleman, that he could by no means 
refuse it ; and his late bed-fellow, hearing what 
her father had said, was easily prevailed upon to 
accept him for her husband. 



REMARKABLE INSTANCE 

OF THE 

POWER OF IMAGINATION. 

It has been remarked, that when the royal vault 
is opened for the interment of any of the royal 
family, Westminster Abbey is a place of great 
resort : some flock thither out of curiosity, others 
to indulge their solemn meditations. 

By the former of these motives it was, when 
the royal vault was opened for the interment of 
her illustrious Majesty Queen Caroline, that five 
or six gentlemen who had dined together at a 
tavern were drawn to visit that famous repository 
of the titled dead. As they descended down the 
c 5 steep 



46 POWER OF IMAGINATION. 

steep descent, one cried — " It's hellish dark ;" 
another stopped his nostrils, and exclaimed 
against the nauseous vapour that ascended from 
it ; all had their different sayings. But, as it is 
natural for such spectacles to excite some moral 
reflections, even with the most gay and giddy, 
they all returned with countenances more serious 
than those they had entered with. 

Having agreed to pass the evening together, 
they all went back to the place where they dined ; 
and the conversation turned on a future state, 
apparitions,' and some such topics. One among 
them was an infidel in those matters, especially 
as to spirits becoming visible, and took upon him 
to rally the others, who seemed rather inclinable 
to the. contrary way of thinking. As it is easier 
to deny than to prove, especially where those 
that maintain the negative will not admit any 
testimonies which can be brought against their 
own opinion, he singly held out against all they 
had to alledge. To end the contest, they proposed 
to him a wager of twenty guineas, that, as great a 
hero as he pretended, or really imagined himself, 
he had not courage enough to go alone at mid- 
night into the vault they had seen that day. This 
he readily accepted, and was very merry with the 
thoughts of getting so much money with such ease. 
The money on both sides was deposited in the 

hands 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 47 

hands of the master of the house ; and one of the 
vergers Was sent for, whom they engaged, for a 
piece of gold, to attend the adventurer to the gate 
of the cathedral, then shut him in, and wait his 
return.- 

Every thing being thus settled, the clock no 
sooner struck twelve, than they all set out toge- 
ther ; they who laid the wager being resolved not 
to be imposed on by his tampering with the ver- 
ger. As they passed along, a scruple arose, 
which was, that I hough they saw him enter the 
church, how they should be convinced he went 
as far as the vault ; but he instantly removed their 
doubts, by pulling out a pen-knife he had in his 
pocket, and saying, " This will I stick into the 
earth, and leave it there; and if you do not find 
it in the inside of the vault, I will own the wager 
lost." These words left them nothing to suspect; 
and they agreed to wait at the door his c< ming 
out, believing he had no less stock of resolution 
than he had pretended : it is possible, the opinion 
they had of him was no more than justice. 

But, whatever stock of courage he had, on his 
entrance into that antique and reverend pile, he 
no sooner found himself shut alone in it, than, as 
he afterwards confessed, he found a kind of shud- 
dering all over him, which, he was sensible, pro- 
ceeded from something more than the coldness 
c 6 of 



48 POWER OF IMAGINATION. 

of the night. Every step he took was echoed by 
the hollow ground ; and, though it was not alto- 
gether dark, the verger having left a lamp burning 
just before the door that led to the chapel (other- 
wise it would have been impossible for him to have 
found the place), yet did the glimmering it gave, 
rather add to, than diminish, the solemn horror of 
every thing around. 

He passed on, however; but protested, had not 
the shame of being laughed at, prevented him, he 
would have forfeited more than twice the sum he 
had staked to have been safe out again. At length 
he reached the entrance of the vault : his inward 
terror increased ; yet, determined not to be over- 
powered by fear, he descended ; and being come 
to the last stair, stooped forwards, and struck the 
pen-knife with his whole force into the earth. But, 
as he was rising in order to quit so dreadful a place, 
he felt something pluck him forward ; the appre- 
hension he before was in, made an easy way for 
surprise and terror to seize on all his faculties : he 
lost in one instant every thing that could support 
him, and fell into a swoon, with his head in the 
vault, and part of his body on the stairs. 

Till after one o'clock his friends waited with 
some degree of patience, though they thought he 
paid tlte titled dead a much longer visit than a 
living man could choose. But; finding he did not 

come. 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 49 

come, they began to fear some accident: the ver- 
ger, they found, though accustomed to the place, 
did not choose to go alone ; they therefore went 
with him, preceded by a torch, which a footman 
belonging to one of the company had with him. 
They all went into the Abbey, calling, as they 
went, as loud as they could: no answer being 
made, they moved on till they came to the vault; 
where, looking down, they soon perceived what 
posture he was in. They immediately used 
every means they could devise for his recovery, 
which they sobn effected. 

After they got him out of the Abbey to the fresh 
air, he fetched two or three deep groans ; and, in 
the greatest agitation, cried, " Heaven help me ! 
Lord have mercy upon me \" These exclamations 
very much surprised them ; but, imagining he was 
not yet come perfectly to his senses, they forbore 
farther questions, till they had got him into the 
tavern, where, having placed him in a chair, they 
began to ask how he did, and how he came to 
be so indisposed. He gave them a faithful detail, 
and said, he should have come back with the same 
sentiments he went with, had not an unseen hand 
convinced him of the injustice of his unbelief. 
While he was making his narrative, one of the 
. company saw the pen-knife sticking through the 
fore-lappet of his coat. He immediately conjec- 
ture tl 



50 POWER OF IMAGINATION. 

tured the mistake; and, pulling out the pen-knife 
before them all, cried out, " Here is the mystery 
discovered : for, in the attitude of stooping to stick 
the knife in the ground, it happened, as . you see, 
to go through the coat ; and, on your attempting 
to rise, the terror you was in magnified this little 
obstruction into an imaginary impossibility of with- 
drawing yourself, and had an effect on your senses 
before reason had time to operate." This, which 
was evidently the case, set every one, except the 
gentleman who had suffered so much by it, into a 
roar of laughter. But it was not easy to draw a 
single smile from him : he ruminated on the affair, 
while his companions rallied and ridiculed this 
change in him : he well remembered the agitations 
he had been in. " Well," replied he, when he 
had sufficiently recovered, " there is certainly 
something after death, or these strange impulses 
could never be. What is there in a church more 
than in any other building? what in darkness 
more than light, which in themselves should have 
power to raise such ideas as I have now expe- 
rienced 1 Yes," continued he, " I am convinced 
that I have been too presumptuous : and, whether 
spiiits be or be not permitted to appear, that 
they exist, I ever shall believe." 



51 



TH& 

WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS. 

A few years since, some Westminster scholars 
received great insult from a hackney-coachman, 
who treated them with the greatest scurrility, be- 
cause they would not comply with an overcharge 
in his fare. This behaviour the youths did not 
forget, and were resolved to punish him without 
danger of prosecution ; upon which one of them 
devised the following whimsical turn of revenge. 

Four of these gentlemen, one dark evening, about 
nine o'clock, (having previously learned where his 
coach would be) called him from off the stand, 
and desired the coachman to drive over Westmin- 
ster Bridge to Newington. They had not long 
been seated, when one of them, with a sportive 
tone of voice, said, " Come, boys, let us begin." 

They then instanly dressed themselves in black 
clothes, and every necessary befitting mourners at 
a funeral, (which articles they brought with them 
in small parcels.) And the night was particularly 
favourable for carrying their scheme into execu- 
tion: for it was uncommonly dark, and very still. 
'Twas such a night that Apollonius Rhodius thus 
describes — 

« Night 



52 WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS. 

" Night on the earth pouc'd darkness ; on the sea,. 
The wakesome sailor to Orion's star 
And Helice turn'd heedful. Sunk to rest, 
The traveller forgot his toil ; his charge, 
The centinel ; her death-devoted babe, 
The mother's painless breast. The village dog 
Had ceas'd his troublous bay : each busy tumult 
Was hush'd at this dread hour; and darkness slept,. 
Lock'd in the arms of silence." 

To terrify him the more, they wore linen hat- 
bands and scarfs, instead of crape. And when 
tb^y had got into the loneliest part of St. George's 
Fields (for at that time they were not built over as 
at present), they called to him, and desired him to 
stop, as they wanted to get out. 

They marked the side the coachman came to 
open the door of; and he that sat next the other 
door, opened it at the same instant. 

What the coachman felt on seeing the first 
mourner move out with the greatest solemnity, 
can be better conceived than expressed': but what 
were his terrors when the second approached him, 
a majestic spare figure about six feet perpendi- 
cular, who passed him (as did the first) without 
speaking a word. 

As fast as one youth got out, he went round to 
the other side of the coach, stepped in, and came 
out a second time at the opposite door. 

In this manner they continued, till the coach- 
man,. 



WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS. 53 

man, if he had the power of counting, might have 
told forty. 

When they had thus passed out seemingly to the 
number of twenty, the poor devil of a coachman, 
frightened almost to death, fell upon his knees, 
and begged for mercy sake the King of Terrors 
would not suffer any more of his apparitions to 
appear; for, though he had a multitude of sins to 
account for, he had _a wife and a large family of 
children, who depended upon his earnings for 
support. 

The tallest of these young gentlemen then asked 
him, in a hoarse tone of voice, what was his hea- 
viest sin ? He replied, committing his lodger, a 
poor carver and gilder, to the Marshalsea, for rent 
due to him, which the badness of the times, and 
his business in particular, would not enable him to. 
pay. He said, he would not have confined him 
so long, but in revenge for a severe beating he 
gave him one day when they fell to loggerheads 
and boxed. He further told them, the poor man 
had been six months in captivity; and that he 
understood from a friend of his, the other day, 
that he made out but a miserable living by making 
brewers' pegs, bungs for their barrels, and watch- 
makers' skewers. 

The young gentleman then told him, that if he 
did not instantly sign his discharge, which he 

would 



54 WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS. 

would write, he might rest assured of no mitigation 
of the dreadful punishment he would go through 
in a few minutes ; for those he had seen come out 
of his coach were his harpies in disguise, and were 
now in readiness to bear him to the infernal regions. 

The trembling villain, without the least hesita- 
tion, complied. One of the scholars fortunately 
having a pen and ink, the King of Terrors wrote 
the discharge in a fair leaf of his pocket-book, as 
well as he could in the dark, and then made the 
coachman sign it. 

Having so done, the scholars told him he might 
go for the present, and that he would find his 
coach in less than an hour in Piccadilly or Oxford 
Street. 

One of the youths then mounted the box, while 
the others got within, and away they drove to the 
Marhalsea, but in the way they stopped till they 
had taken off their disguise. 

The youth, who bad the discharge, after making 
a collection amorg the others, went into the prison, 
and gave the poor fellow what set him at liberty 
the next morning. 

The scholars then drove on to Oxford Street, 
congratulating themselves on the success of their 
adventure, and all happy to a degree of rapture 
at being instrumental in obtaining the captive's 
liberty. 

* About 



WESTMINSTER SCHOLARS. 5& 

About a quarter of an hour after they quitted 
lie coach, they observed the coachman arrive ; 
r ho mounted the box, and drove home, muttering 
lie bitterest execrations, and damning his father 
onfessor for bilking him of half a guinea which 
e gave him that morning for an absolution, that 
'as to have rubbed out the entire score of his 
ranseressions. 



IDEOTS FUNERAL. 

HE following extraordinary affair happened 
bout ten years since, at a village in the north of 
,ngland. 

About midnight, the minister of.ihe parish 
r as not a little alarmed at hearing the church bell 
)lling. He immediately dispatched <jne ot his 
ervants for the beadle, to inquire into the cause 
f this wonderful event; who, when he came, ap- 
eared to be under more dreadful apprehensions 
:ian the clergyman himself. However, the result 
f their deliberations was, that, in order to be 
ertainly informed of the truth and ground of the 
latter, they should go forward to the church; 
ut, on their way, what served considerably to 

increase 



56 IDEOTS FUNERAL. 

increase their fears, was their seeing a light withinr' 
the church. The great bell gave over tolling, and 
was succeeded, in its turn, by the little, or hand- 
bell (commonly used in that country at funerals), 
which, in a short time, also became silent. On 
their near approach to the church, they discovered, 
by the help of the light within, the mort-cloth 
moving up and down the area thereof. Though 
this last part of the dreadful scene might have 
been sufficient to intimidate persons possessed of 
no ordinary degree of courage ; yet such was the 
bravery and resolution of the Reverend Doctor, 
that he even ventured to accost the nocturnal dis- 
turber of their repose : when, on lifting up the 
mort-cloth, to his inexpressible surprise, he disco- 
vered the terrible apparition to be only an un- 
happy young man belonging to the parish, who 
had for some time past been disordered in his 
senses, and who had got into the church by some 
secret means or other, and, as the good Doctor 
readily conjectured, was amusing himself in this 
manner, by the representation of a funeral : a case 
not at all unlikely, as ideots in general are re- 
markably fond of any thing relative to a funeral 
procession* 



&T 



VENTRILOQUIST. 

Ihe following anecdote is related by Adrianus 
Turnibis, the greatest critic of the sixteenth cen- 
tury, and who was admired and respected by all 
the learned in Europe. 

" There was a crafty fellow," says he, " called 
Petrus Brabantius, who, as often as he pleased, 
would speak from his stomach, with his mouth in- 
deed open, but his lips unmoved, of which 1 have 
been repeatedly an eye and ear witness. In this 
manner he put divers cheats on several persons: 
amongst others, the following was well known. 

" There was a merchant of Lyons, lately dead, 
who .had acquired a great estate by unjust deal- 
ings. Brabantius happening to be at Lyons, and 
hearing of this, comes one day to Cornutus, the 
son and heir of this merchant, as he walked in a 
portico behind the church-yard, and tells him 
that he was sent to inform him of what was to be 
done by him ; and that it was more requisite to 
think about the soul and reputation of his father, 
than thus wander about the church-yard, lament- 
ing his death. In an instant, while they were thus 
discoursing, a voice was heard, as if it was that 
of the father, though, in reality, it proceeded from 

his 



58 VENTRILOQUIST. 

his own stomach. Brabantius seemed terribly 
affrighted. The voice informed the son the state 
his father was in by reason of his injustice, what 
tortures he endured in purgatory, both on his own, 
and his son's account, whom he had left heir of 
his ill-gotten goods : that no freedom was to be 
expected by him, till just expiation was made 
by giving alms to such as stood most in need, and 
that these were the Christians who were taken by 
the Turks : that he should put entire confidence in 
the man who Mas by special providence now.come 
to him, and give him money, to be employed by 
religious persons for the ransom of so many as 
were captives at Constantinople. Cornutus, who 
was a good sort of a man, yet loth to part "with his 
money, told Brabantius that he would advise upon 
it ; and desired he would meet him in the same 
place the next day. In the mean time, he began 
to suspect there might be some fraud in the place, 
as it was shady, dark, and fit for echoes or other 
delusions. The next day, therefore, he takes him 
to an open plain, where there was neither bush 
nor briar ; but there, notwithstanding all his pre- 
caution, he hears the same story, with this addi- 
tion, that he should forthwith deliver Brabantius 
six thousand franks, and purchase three masses 
daily to be said for. him, or else the miserable soul 
of his father could not be freed. Cornutus, though 

thus 



VENTRILOQUIST. 59 

thus bound by conscience, duty, and religion, yet 
with reluctance delivered him the money, with- 
out taking any receipt, or having any witness to 
the payment of it. Having thus dismissed him, 
and hearing no more of his father, he became 
somewhat more pleasant than he had been since 
his father's death. One day this change in him 
was observed by some friends, who were at din- 
ner at his house; upon which he told them what 
had befallen hira : when his friends so derided 
him, one and all, for his credulity, in being so sim- 
ply cheated of his money, that, for mere grief and 
vexation, within a few davs after, he died." 



THE 

FEMALE FANATIC, 

AND 

HEAVENLY VISITOR. 

I he following curious affair happened a few- 
years since at Paris, and is well attested by a 
gentleman of the greatest respectability. 

A widow-lady, aged about sixty-two, who lodged 
in a two-pair-of-stairs floor", in the Rue de la Fer- 
ronerie, with only a maid-servant, was accustomed 
to spend several hours every day at her devotions, 

before 



m FEMALE FANATIC* 

before the altar dedicated to St. Paul, in a neigh- 
bouring church. Some villains observing her ex- 
treme bigotry, resolved (as she was known to be 
very rich) to share her wealth. Therefore one of 
them took the opportunity to conceal himself be- 
hind the carved work of the altar ; and when no 
person but the old lady was in the church, in the 
dusk of the evening, he contrived to throw a letter 
just before her. She took it up, and not perceiving 
any one near her, supposed it came by a miracle ; 
which she was the more confirmed in, when she 
saw it was signed, Paul the Apostle, and pur- 
ported, " The satisfaction he received by her ad- 
dressing her prayers to him, at a time when so 
many new-canonized saints engrossed the devotion 
of the world, and robbed the primitive saints of 
great part of their wonted adoration ; and, to shew 
his regard for his devotee, said, he would come 
from Heaven, with the angel Gabriel, to sup with 
her, at eight in the evening." 

It is scarcely credible to think any one could be 
deceived by so gross a fraud : but to what length 
of credulity, will not superstition carry the weak 
mind ! The infatuated lady believed it all ; and rose 
from her knees in a transport, to prepare the enter- 
tainment for the heavenly guests she expected. 

When the supper was bespoke, and the side- 
board set out to the best advantage, she thought 

that 



FEMALE FANATIC. Si 

that her own plate (which was worth near four 
hundred pounds sterling) did not make so elegant 
a shew as she desired; therefore sent to her bro- 
ther (who was a Counsellor of the Parliament of 
Paris) to borrow all his plate ; charging her 
maid not to tell the occasion, but only, that she 
had company to supper, and should be obliged 
to him if he would lend her his plate for that 
evening. The Counsellor was surprised at this 
message, as he knew the frugality of his sister's 
way of life ; and suspected that she was enamoured 
with some fortune-hunter, who might marry her 
for her fortune, and thereby deprive the family 
of what he expected at his sister's death : there- 
fore he. absolutely refused to send the plate, unless 
the maid would tell him what guests she expected. 
The girl, alarmed for her mistress's honour, replied, 
that her pious lady had no thoughts of a husband; 
but that, as St. Paul had sent her a letter from hea- 
ven, saying, that he and the Angel Gabriel would 
come to supper with her, her mistress wanted to 
make the entertainment as elegant as possible. 
The Counsellor, who knew the turn of his sister's 
mind, immediately suspected some villains had 
imposed on her ; and sent the maid directly with 
the plate, while he went to the Commissary of the 
quarter, and gave him this information. The magis- 
trate accompanied him to a house adjoining, from 
d . whence 



62 FEMALE FANATIC. 

whence they saw, just before eight o'clock, a tall 
man, dressed in long vestments, with a white beard, 
and a young man in white, with large wings at his 
shoulders, alight from a hackney-coach, and go up 
to the widow's apartment. The Commissary im- 
mediately ordered twelve of the foot guet (the 
guards of Paris) to post themselves on the stairs, 
while he himself knocked at the door, and desired 
admittance. The old lady replied, that she had 
company, and could speak to no one. But the 
Commissary answered, that he must come in : for 
that he was St. Peter, and had come to ask St. 
Paul and the Angel, how they came out of hea- 
ven without his knowledge. The divine visitors 
were astonished at this, not expecting any more 
Saints to join them: but the lady, overjoyed at 
having so great an apostle with her, ran eagerly 
to the door; when the Commissary, her brother, 
and the guet, rushing in, presented their musquets, 
and seized her guests, whom they immediately 
carried to the Chatelot. 

On searching the criminals, two cords, a razor, 
and a pistol, were found in St. Paul's pocket ; and a 
gag in that of the feigned angel. Three days after, 
their trial came on : when, in their defence, they 
pleaded, that the one was a soldier of the French 
foot-guards, and the other a barber's apprentice ; 
and that they had no other evil design, but to pro- 
cure 



FEMALE FANATIC. 63 

ctire a good supper for themselves at the expence 
of the widow's folly; that, it being carnival time, 
they had borrowed the above dresses; that the 
soldier had found the two cords, and put them 
into his pocket; the razor was what he used to 
shave himself with ; and the pistol was to defend 
himself from any insults so strange a habit might 
expose him to, in going home. The barber's ap- 
prentice said, his design also was only diversion ; 
and that, as his master was a tooth-drawer, the gag 
was what they sometimes used in their business. 
These excuses, frivolous as they were, were of 
some avail to them ; and, as they had not mani- 
fested any evil design by an overt act, they were 
acquitted. 

But the Counsellor, who had foreseen what would 
happen, through the insufficiency of evidence, had 
provided another stroke for them. No sooner 
were they discharged from the civil power, but the 
Apparitor of the Archbishop of Paris seized them, 
and conveyed them to the Ecclesiastical Prison ; 
and, in three da;ys more, they were tried and con- 
victed of a scandalous profanation, by assuming 
to themselves the names, characters, and appear- 
ances, of an holy apostle and a blessed angel, 
with an intent to deceive a pious and well-meaning 
woman, and to the scandal of religion. On this 
they were condemned to be publicly whipped, 
D 2 burnt 



(54 FEMALE FANATIC. 

burnt on the shoulder by a hot iron, with the let- 
ters G.A.L. and sent to the galleys for fourteen 
years. 

The sentence was executed on them the next 
day, on a scaffold in the Place de Greve, amidst 
an innumerable crowd of spectators: many of 
whom condemned the superstition of the lady, 
when perhaps they would have shewn the same on 
a like occasion; since, it may be supposed, -that if 
many of their stories of apparitions, of saints, and 
angels, had been judiciously examined, they would 
have been found, like the above, to be either a gross 
fraud, or the dreams of an over-heated, enthusi- 
astic imagination. 

I shall make no reflections on the above fact* 
but leave it to the impartial consideration of the 
reader. 



. THE 

FEMALE SPRITES. 

In September 1764, the following extraordinary 
incident happened in the family of a clergyman 
then living in Barthoiemew Close. 

The gentleman and his wife returning home 
about eleven o'clock from a friend's house, where 

tfae.v 



FEMALE SPRITES. 63 

Hiey had been to spend the evening, desired the 
maid to get them warm water to mix with some 
wine. There being no fire in the parlour, they 
went into the kitchen ; and while the water was 
heating, the geiifleman ordered the maid to get 
a pan of coals, and warm the bed. The servant 
had not long been gone up stairs, when the gen- 
tleman and his wife heard an uncommon noise 
over their heads, like persons walking without 
shoes: and, presently after, a woman enters the 
kitchen, without any .other clothes on than her 
shift and cap. Their astonishment at such a 
sight so greatly frightened them, that they had 
neither of them power to speak a word : and while 
they were thus absorbed in amazement, another 
woman entered the room in like manner. Just at 
this time the maid came down from warming the 
bed; and, though greatly surprised at so unex- 
pected an appearance, had the courage to^ask them 
who they were? and what they wanted? To which 
they replied, that they were servants at their next- 
door neighbour's, and, being awakened out of their 
sleep by their master's calling out, Fire and thieves ! 
ran up stairs, and entering the garret window, came 
down, to preserve themselves from danger, and 
procure assistance. Upon this, inquiry being 
made, the gentleman's daughter at the adjoining 
house was found in violent fits, which occasioned 
D 3 his 



66 FEMALE SPRITES. 

his calling the maids hastily to her assistance; and 
this caused an alarm that had nearly proved fatal 
to the clergyman's wife, who was, at that time, 
far gone with child. 



PRUSSIAN DOMINO, 



FATAL EFFECTS OF JEALOUSY. 

An officer of rank in the service of the late King 
of Prussia, having lost an amiable wife whom he 
tenderly loved, became quite inconsolable. Deeply 
wounded with his affliction, his mind was so ab- 
sorbed in melancholy, that the transient pleasuies 
of life were no longer a delight to him ; he retired 
from the court and the field, and at once secluded 
himself from all society. 

Among the numerous friends who lamented 
his excessive sorrow, his Monarch was not the 
least, who endeavoured to soothe his distracted 
mind with sympathetic tenderness. Indeed, his 
Majesty considered him not only an agreeable 
companion, but a valuable friend ; and was so 
much interested in his behalf, that he was deter- 
mined. 



PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 67 

mined, if possible, to divert his immoderate grief. 
But neither the promises of promotion, or the 
threats of disgrace, could draw him from his re- 
tirement. At length, after many zealous efforts 
had proved ineffectual, a plan was suggested by 
the King himself, which promised success. His 
Majesty resolved to give a masquerade, to which, 
by inviting Lindorf (for that was the officer's 
name), an ' opportunity might be again taken to 
entice him within that circle of gaiety, of which 
he was once the admiration. The invitation being 
accompanied with an affectionate and earnest so- 
licitation from the King, Lindorf could not refuse 
accepting the offer; and, on the evening appointed, 
he was once more seen in the rooms of splendour 
and festivity. On his entrance he met the King, 
who, after greeting him with great kindness, began 
to rally him upon his late weakness. Lindorf 
thanked his Majesty for the honour he did him, 
and, after a short reply, they for some time walked 
up and down the saloon together; when at length 
it was agreed to part, that each might amuse him- 
self according to his own liking, with the different 
characters exhibited that evening. But the King's 
intention Avas solely to watch the movements of 
Lindorf; for with heartfelt regret he beheld, as 
they parted, the fixed melancholy that still brood- 
ed on his countenance: and, when he beheld him 
D 4 pass. 



68 PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 

pass, with downcast eyes, the saloon, where the 
dance and . music reigned with such irresistible 
sway, all hope of reclaiming the unhappy widower 
disappeared. For some time he was witness of 
his melancholy deportment, and was much affected 
to find that, where every face beamed a smile, the 
countenance of Lindorf alone was sad and deject- 
ed. The King, despairing of his project being 
successful, was about to quit the rooms, when he 
beheld Lindorf suddenly stop and speak to a lady 
in a black domino. Rejoiced at this circumstance, 
hope again revived, and he stayed his departure, 
to watch the event. 

Lindorf, when he quitted the King, continued 
to walk up and down the rooms, Nothing at- 
tracting his attention but the lady in the black 
domino, who, wherever he turned, always ap- 
peared before him. At first he imagined the cha- 
racter intended merely to amuse him, and that 
her strange deportment was instigated by his 
friends; but the unusual solemnity attending her 
appearance, after he had in vain desired her to- 
desist, struck him with astonishment. He sud- 
denly stopped, and demanded who she was? " I 
dare not tell you," answered the domino, in a deep 
and plantive tone of voice. Lindorf startled — his 
blood ran cold ; it was exactly the voice of his 
deceased wife, " Who are you I for heaven's sake,, 

tell 



PRUSSIAN DOMINO; . 69 

tell me, or I die !" exclaimed Lindorf. " You will 
be more wretched than you are, if I tell you," re- 
plied the mysterious unknown, in accents that 
doubly excited his curiosity. " Tell me," said he, 
" I conjure you; for I cannot be more wretched 
than 1 now am. Tell me all, and do not leave me 
in this state of inquietude." " Know then," an- 
swered the domino, " I am your wife." Lindorf 
started — every nerve was Wrung with anguish. 
" Impossible," said he in a fright, " it cannot be; 
yet the voice appears the same." Here his tongue 
faulteriug, he ceased to speak. When he had 
somewhat recovered his recollection, he ejaculated, 
" In the name of God, do tell me who you are? 
Is it a trick, or do I dream?" " Neither," re- 
plied the unknown ; and continued, in the same 
tone of voice, to describe several particulars rela- 
tive to his family, and in what manner many things 
were placed in the drawers belonging to his de- 
ceased wife, which none but himself and the de- 
parted knew of. At length he was convinced the 
figure before him must be the apparition of his 
wife ; and, in the voice of anguish and despair, 
requested she would unmask and let him see her 
face. That the figure refused to do, saying, that 
would be a sight he could not bear. " I can bear 
any thing," he replied, " but the pain your denial 
creates. I entreat you, let me see your face ; do 
d 5 not 



70 PRUSSIAN DOMINa. 

not refuse me !" Again she denied him ; till at 
last, by repeated entreaties, and his promises not 
to be alarmed, she consented to unmask, and de- 
sired him to follow her into an anti-room, solemnly 
charging him not to give way to his feelings. They 
then proceeded to the adjoining room. 

The King, who was an eye-witness of the deep 
conversation they were engaged in, beheld, with 
rapture, their entrance into the ,anti-chamber, and 
saw the door closed. " He is certainly restored," 
said the Monarch tojiis confidential attendant; 
" Lindorf is most assuredly saved; be has made an 
appointment with some pretty woman, and has 
just retired to enjoy a private conversation. In 
her endearments he will, I hopCj forget his sorrows. 
So we may now partake of the festivities of the 
evening." Saying which, he immediately joined 
the motley group with great cheerfulness. 

Lindorf felt his blood chill, as the door of the 
anti-chamber closed; but, the warmth of affection 
returning, he no sooner entered, than he claimed 
the dreadful promise. Again, in the most solemn 
manner, she advised him not to urge that which 
might tend to his misery, as she was certain he had 
not sufficient fortitude to endure a sight of her. 
With horror he heard the remonstrance i and the 
solemnity of her deportment only inspired his eager 
curiosity the more. At length, after many strict 

injunctions. 



PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 7! 

injunctions, she lifted up the mask ; when the as- 
tonished Lindorf beheld the most horrid spectacle , 
of a skeleton head. "Oh, God!" he exclaimed, 
and, groaning, fell senseless on the floor. In vain 
the mysterious domino attempted to recover him. 
Sorrow had for a long time preyed upon his exist- 
ence, and terror had now for ever quieted the un- 
happy Lindorf. He breathed no more ; he was a 
Hfeless corpse. Instantly the domino quitted the 
room, and retired from the masquerade. 

The King had just returned to his post of obser- 
vation, and saw the domino depart. In vain he 
waited for Lindorf to follow ; an hour expired, and 
no Lindorf appeared. This raised the curiosity of 
the Monarch. The door was left partly open, and 
he resolved to enter; when, to his great surprise 
and sorrow, he beheld Lindorf stretched on the 
floor, a corpse. He instantly alarmed the company; 
but the mystery of his death in vain they attempted 
to develope. No marks of violence appeared on 
his body, which was the more astonishing; and, to 
add to the mystery, the masqued lady was not 
to be found in any of the rooms. Messengers 
were then dispatched, and advertisements distri- 
buted, all over the city of Berlin, offering large 
rewards for her apprehension ; but no further in- 
formation could be gained, than that deposed by 
two chairmen, who affirmed, they brought the 
D 6 domino 



72 PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 

domino to the rooms, which from their account 
only acided to the mystery. 

Their declaration was as follows — " Having 
received a letter, enjoining .secrecy, and desiring 
them to attend in the dusk of the evening, at a 
certain church porch, to carry a lady to the 
masquerade; they, thinking it was some person 
who intended to play the character of a hobgoblin, 
or sprite, did not. hesitate, and made no farther 
inquiry, but proceeded, at the hour appointed, 
to the place mentioned; where Ihey found a 
person waiting in a black domino, just as the ad- 
vertisement described. On their arrival, without 
speaking a word, the domino placed the money for 
hire in their hands, and instantly entered the chair, 
which they immediately conveyed to the masque- 
rade. On their arrival, without uttering a word, 
she darted from them into the crowd, and they 
saw no more of her until twelve o'clock, when, on 
passing the door, they discovered the domino again 
seated in the chair. They were much surprised 
at such strange conduct ; but, without reflecting on 
the event, they conveyed her back again, as was 
agreed,, to the same church porch, when they re- 
ceived a further gratuity, and departed." Such 
was the deposition of the two chairmen, at once 
mysterious and incomprehensible. This intelli- 
gence still more astonished the King, who in vain 

used 



PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 7& 

used every method to make further discovery in 
this extraordinary and unhappy affair. 

Several years elapsed, without any thing occur- 
ring that could lead to a developement of this 
dreadful catastrophe. All search after the lady 
was now given up, and nothing but the remem- 
brance of the unhappy affair remained. At length 
the hour arrived, when this dreadful mystery was 
explained, which displayed one of the most dia- 
bolical and desperate transactions ever known. 
The particulars are as follow. 

A lady, then at the point of death, requested to 
see some confidential friend of the King's; which 
request was immediately complied with : to whom 
she made the following confession. In accents 
scarcely audible, she told them, she was the person 
who appeared in the black domino, in so myste- 
rious a manner, to Lindorf, and which unhappily 
caused his death. That revenge for neglected 
love instigated her to play the part she did ; but 
that she had no idea the consequence would have 
been so fatal : her intention being merely to as- 
sume the appearance of his deceased wife, in order 
that she might upbraid him, and gratify her re- 
venge for having broke his vow in marrying her 
sister instead of herself; and also that she might 
effectually persuade him to desist from his melan- 
choly intentions of remaining a widower, and pre- 
vail 



74 PRUSSIAN DOMINO. 

vail on him to marry her — for although he refused 
her request personally, yet she imagined the scheme 
must be successful, when played off under the ap- 
pearance of a spirit of his deceased wife; and, to 
deceive his imagination, she had endeavoured to 
personify her; for which purpose she had pro- 
cured the head of a skeleton, and assumed that 
character which had proved the death of the man 
she so ardently loved, and the source of endless 
misery to herself. She then related the conver- 
sation that had passed between them on that 
fatal evening, and fully described the whole par- 
ticulars of that myslerious affair. She likewise 
acknowledged she endeavoured to imitate the voice 
of his deceased wife ; and declared her intention 
forhaving the chair brought to the church porch 
was to render the proceeding the more mysterious 
and incomprehensible in case of a scrutiny. On 
concluding this melancholy tale, she fetched a 
deep sigh, and instantly expired. 



75 

T&E 

DEAD MAN 

AND 

ANATOMICAL PROFESSOR. 



Many, who were personally- acquainted with 
Mr. Junker, have frequently heard him relate the 
following anecdote. 

Being Professor of Anatomy, he once procured, 
for dissection, the hodies of two criminals who had 
been hanged. The key of the dissecting room 
not being immediately at hand, when they were 
carried home to him, he ordered them to be laid 
down in a closet which opened into his own apart- 
ment. The evening came ; and Junker, according 
to custom, proceeded to resume his literary labour 
before he retired to rest. It was now near mid- 
night, and all his family were fast asleep, when he 
heard a rumbling noise in his closet. Thinking 
that, by some mistake, the cat had been shut up 
with the dead bodies, he arose, and, taking the 
candle, went to see what had happened. But 
what must have been his astonishment, or rather 
his panic, on perceiving that the sack which con^ 
tained the two bodies was rent through the midr 

die. 



76 THE DEAD MAN, AND 

die. He approached, and found that one of them 
was gone. 

The doors and windows were well secured, and 
he thought it impossible the bodies could have 
been stolen. He tremblingly looked round the 
closet, and observed the dead man seated in a 
corner. 

Junker stood for a moment motionless : the 
dead man seemed to look towards him ; he moved 
both to the right and left, but the dead man still 
kept his eyes upon him. 

The Professor then retired, step by step, with 
his eyes still fixed upon the object of his alarm, 
and holding the caudle in his hand, until he reached 
the door. The dead man instantly started up, 
and followed htm. A figure of so hideous an ap- 
pearance, naked, and in motion — the lateness of 
the hour — the deep silence which prevailed — every 
thing concurred to overwhelm him with confusion. 
He let fall the only candle which he had burning, 
and all was darkness. He made his escape to 
his bed-chamber, and threw himself on the bed : 
thither, however, he was pursued ; and he soon 
felt the dead man embracing his legs, and loudly 
sobbing. Repeated cries of '/ Leave me ! leave me !" 
released Junker from the grasp of the dead man ; 
who now exclaimed, " Ah ! good executioner ! good 
executioner ! have mercy upon me," 

Junker 



ANATOMICAL PROFESSOR. 77 

Junker soon perceived the cause of what had 
happened, and resumed Lis fortitude. He in- 
formed the re-animated sufferer who he really was, 
and made a motion, in order to call up some of the 
family. " You wish then to destroy me," ex- 
claimed the criminal. " If you call any one, my 
adventure will become public, and I shall be taken 
and executed a second time. In the name of hu- 
manity, I implore you to save my life." 

The physician struck a light, decorated his 
guest with an old night-gown, and, having made 
him take off" a cordial, requested to know what had 
brought him to the gibbet. It would have been a 
truly singular exhibition, observed Junker, to have 
seen me, at that late hour, engaged in a Ute-h-ttU 
with a dead man decked out in a night-gown. 

The poor wretch informed him, that he had en- 
listed as a soldier, but that, having no great attach- 
ment to the profession, he had determined to de- 
sert ; that he had unfortunately entrusted his se- 
cret to a kind of crimp, a fellow of no principle, 
who recommended him to a woman, in whose 
house he was to remain concealed : that this wo- 
man had discovered his retreat to the officers of 
police, &c. 

Junker was extremely perplexed how to save 
the poor man. It was impossible to retain him in 
bis own house, and keep the affair a secret; and 

ta 



?8 THE DEAD MAN, AND 

to turn him out of doors, was to expose him 
to certain destruction. He therefore resolved to 
conduct him out of the city, in order that he 
might get into a foreign jurisdiction; but it was 
necessary to pass the gates of the city, which were 
strictly guarded. To accomplish this point, he 
dressed the man in some of his old clothes, cover- 
ed him with a cloak, and, at an early hour, set out 
for the country, with his protege behind him. On 
arriving at the city gate, where he was well known, 
he said in a hurried tone, that he had been sent 
for to visit a sick person who was dying in the 
suburbs. He was permitted to pass. Having both 
got into the open fields, the deserter threw him- 
self at the feet of his deliverer, to whom he vowed 
eternal gratitude ; and, after receiving some pecu- 
niary assistance, departed, offering up prayers for 
his happiness. 

Twelve years after, Junker, having occasion to 
go to Amsterdam, was accosted on the Exchange 
by a man well-dressed and of the best appearance, 
who, he had been infoVmed, was one of the most 
respectable merchants in that city. The mer- 
chant, in a polite manner, inquired whether he 
was not Professor Junker, of Halle ; and, on being 
answered in the affirmative, he requested, in an 
earnest manner, his company to dinner. The 
Professor consented. Having reached the mer- 
chant's 



ANATOMICAL PROFESSOR. 7® 

chant's house, he was shewn into an elegant apart- 
ment, where he found a beautiful wife, and two 
line healthy children : but he could scarcely sup- 
press his astonishment at meeting with so cordial 
a reception from a family with whom, he thought 
he was entirely unacquainted. 

After dinner, the merchant, taking him into his 
counting-room, said, " You do not recollect mel" 
— " Not at all." — " But I well recollect you; and 
never shall your features be effaced from my re- 
membrance. You are my benefactor. I am the 
person who came to life in your closet, and to 
whom you paid so much attention. On parting 
from you, I took the road to Holland. I wrote a . 
good hand, was tolerably expert at accounts ; my 
figure was somewhat interesting ; and I scon ob- 
tained employment as a merchants clerk. My 
good conduct, and my zeal for the interests of my 
patron, procured me his confidence, and his 
daughters love. On his retiring from business, I 
succeeded him, and became his son-iu-laAv. But 
for you, however, I should not have lived to ex- 
perience all these enjoyments. Henceforth, look 
upon my house, my fortune, and myself, as at 
your disposal." 

Those who possess the smallest portion of sensi- 
bility can easily represent to themselves the feel- 
ings of Junker. 

THE 



BO 



DRUNKEN BUCKS, 

AND 

CHIMNEY- SWEEP. 



On March the 19th, 1765, four bucks assembled 
at an inn in Grantham, to drink a glass, and play 
a game of cards. The glass circulating very briskly, 
before midnight they became so intoxicated, that 
not one of them was able to determine how the 
game stood ; and several disputes, interspersed with 
a considerable number of oaths, ensued, till they 
agreed to let the cards lie, and endeavour to drink 
themselves sober. Shortly after they resumed the 
game; and each man imagining himself capable of 
directing the rest, they soon came again to very 
high words : when the waiter, fearful that some 
bad consequences might ensue, let them know it 
was near three o'clock, and, if any gentleman 
pleased, he would wait on him home. Instead of 
complying with his request, the geniuses looked 
upon it as an indignity offered them, and declared, 
with the most horrid imprecations, that not one of 
them would depart till day-light. But, in the 
height of their anger, an uncommon noise in the 

chimney 



THE DRUNKEN BUCKS, &C. 81 

* t 

chimney engaged their attention ; when, on look- 
ing towards the fire-place, a black spectre made 
its appearance, and crying out in a hollow me- 
nacing tone — " My father has sent me for you, 
infamous reprobates !" They all, in the greatest 
fright, Hew out of the room, without staying to 
take their hats, in broken accents confessing their 
sins, and begging for mercy. 

It appears, that the master of the inrt, finding 
he could not get rid of his troublesome guests, and 
having a chimney-sweeper in his house sweeping 
other chimneys, he gave the boy directions to de- 
scend into the room as above related, whilst he 
stood at a distance, and enjoyed the droll scene 
of the bucks' flight. 



CRIPPLEGATE GHOST. 

1 he following story, well authenticated in the 
neighbourhood of .Cripplegate, will convince the 
reader, that vicious intentions are sometimes pro- 
ductive of much good to the parties they intended 
to injure. 

A gentlewoman in that parish, having lain for 
some days in a trance, was> at length laid out and 
buried for dead, with a gold ring on her finger. 

The 



82 CR1PLLEGATE GHOST. 

The sexton knowing thereof, he and his wife, with 
a Ian thorn and candle, went privately (he next 
night, and dug up the coffin, opened it, untied 
the winding sheet, and was going to cut off her 
finger for the sake of the valuable ring buried with 
her, they not being otherwise able to remove it; 
when, suddenly, the lady raised herself up (being 
just then supposed miraculously to come out of 
her trance). The sexton and his wife ran away 
in a horrible fright, leaving their lanthorn behind 
them ; which the lady took up, and made haste 
home to her house. When knocking hard at the 
door, the maid-servant asked who was there ? 
" 'Tis I, your mistress," replied the lady; " and do, 
for God's sake, let me in immediately, as I am 
very cold." The maid, being much surprised and 
terrified at this reply, neglected to open the door, 
ran away to her master, and acquainted him with 
the circumstance ; who would scarcely believe 
her tale, till he went himself to the door, and 
heard his wife relate the dreadful particulars. 
He immediately let her in, put her into a warm 
bed ; and, by being well looked after, she soon 
perfectly recovered, and lived to have three chil- 
dren afterwards. 

This extraordinary resuscitation is conjectured, 
by the faculty, to have been occasioned by the 

sudden 



CRIPPLEGATE GHOST. 83 

sudden circulation of the blood on the villain's 
attempting to cut off the ringer. 

A monument, with a curious inscription of this 
affair, is still to be seen in Cripplegate church. 



VENTRILOQUIST. 

I he following anecdotes are related by the* Abbe 
de la Chapelle, of the French Academy. 

Tin's gentleman, having heard many surprising 
circumstances related concerning one Monsieur 
St. Giile, a grocer, at St. Germain-en-Laye, near 
Paris, whose astonishing powers as a ventriloquist 
had given occasion to many singular and diverting 
scenes, formed the resolution to see him. Struck 
by the many marvellous anecdotes related con- 
cerning him, the Abbe judged it necessary first to 
ascertain the truth by the testimony of his own 
senses, and then to inquire into the cause and man- 
ner in which the phenomena were produced. 

After some preparatory and necessary steps (for 
Monsieur St. Gille had been told he did not chuse 
to gratify the curiosity of every one), the Abbe 
waited upon him, informed him of his design, and 
was very cordially received. He was taken into a 

parlour 



8.4 VENTRILOQUIST. 

parlour on the ground floor ; when Monsieur St. 
Gille and himself sat on the opposite sides of a 
small fire, with only a table between them, the 
Abbe keeping his eyes constantly fixed on Mon- 
sieur St. Gille all the time. Half an hour had 
passed, during which that gentleman diverted the 
Abbe with a relation of many comic scenes which 
he had given occasion to by this talent of his ; 
when, all on a sudden, the Abbe heard himself 
called by his name and title, in a voice that 
seemed to come from the roof of a house at 
a distance. He was almost petrified with asto- 
nishment: on recollecting himself, however, he 
asked Monsieur St. Gille whether he had not 
just then given him a specimen of his art? He 
was answered only by a smile. But while the Abbe 
was pointing to the house from which the voice 
had appeared to him to proceed, his surprise was 
augmented on hearing himself answered, *' It was 
not from that quarter," apparently in the same 
kind of voice as before, but which now seemed to 
issue from under the earth, at one of the corners 
of the room. In short, this factitious voice played, 
as it were, every where about him, and seemed to 
proceed from any quarter or distance from which 
the operator chose to transmit it to him. The 
illusion was so very strong, that, prepared as the 
Abbe was for this kind of conversation, his mere 

senses 



VENTRILOQUIST. 85 

senses were absolutely incapable of undeceiving 
him. Though conscious that the voice proceeded 
from the mouth of Monsieur St. Gille, that gentle- 
man appeared absolutely mute while he was exer- 
cising this talent ; nor could the author perceive 
any change whatever in his countenance. He ob- 
served, however, at this first visit, that Monsieur 
St. Gille contrived, but without any affectation, to 
present only the profile of his face to him, while 
he was speaking as a ventriloquist. 

The next experiment made was no less curious 
than the former, and is related as follows — ■ 

Monsieur St. Gille, returning home from a place 
where his business had carried him, sought for 
shelter from an approaching thunder-storm, in a 
neighbouring convent. Finding the whole com- 
munity in mourning, he inquires the cause, and is 
told, that one of their body had lately died, who 
was the ornament and delight of the whole society. 
To pass away the time, he walks into the church, 
attended by some of the religious, who shew him, 
the tomb of their deceased brother, and speak 
feelingly of the scanty honours they had bestowed 
on his memory. Suddenly, a voice is heard, ap- 
parently proceeding from the roof of the choir, la- 
menting the situation of the deceased in purgatory, 
and reproaching the brotherhood with their luke- 
warmness and want of zeal on his account. The 
E - friars, 



j)6 VENTRILOQUIST. 

friars, as soon as their astonishment gave them 
power to speak, consult together, and agree to ac- 
quaint the rest of the community with this singu- 
lar event, so interesting to the whole society. 

Monsieur St. Gille, who Avished to carry on the 
deception still farther, dissuaded them from taking 
this step ; telling them, that they will be treated by 
their absent brethren as a set of fools and vision- 
aries. He recommended to them, however, the 
immediately calling the whole community into the 
church, when the ghost of their departed brother 
may, probably, reiterate his complaints. Accord- 
ingly, all the friars, novices, lay- brothers, and even 
the domestics of the convent, are immediately 
summoned and collected together. In a short 
time, the voice from the roof renewed its lamenta- 
tions and reproaches; and the whole convent fell 
on their faces, and vowed a solemn reparation. As 
a first step, they chaunted a De Profundis in full 
choir; during the intervals of which, the ghost 
occasionally expressed the comfort he received 
from their pious exercises and ejaculations on his 
behalf. When all was over, the Prior entered into 
a serious conversation with Monsieur St. Gille; 
and, on the strength of what had just passed, sa- 
gaciously inveighed against the absurd incredulity 
of our modern sceptics, and pretended philoso- 
phers, as to the existence of ghosts or apparitions. 

Monsieur 



VENTRILOQUIST. 87 

Monsieur St. Gille thought it now high time to 
undeceive the good fathers. This purpose, how- 
ever, he found extremely difficult to effect, till he 
had prevailed upon them to return with him into 
the church, and there be witnesses of the manner 
ia which he had conducted this ludicrous de- 
ception. 

In consequence of these memoirs, presented by 
the author to the Royal Academy of Sciences at 
Paris, in which he communicated to them the ob- 
servations that he had collected on the subject of 
ventriloquism in general, and those he had made 
on Monsieur St. Gille in particular; that learned 
body deputed two of its members, M. de Fouchy 
and Le Roi, to accompany him to St. Gerrnain-en- 
Laye, in order to verify the facts, and to make their 
observations on the nature and causes of this ex- 
traordinary faculty. In the course of this inquiry, 
a very singular plan was laid and executed, to put 
Monsieur St. Gille's powers of deception to the 
trial, by engaging him to exert them in the presence 
of alarge party, consistingof the commissaries of the 
Academy, and some persons of the highest quality, 
who were to dine in the open forest near St .Ger- 
main-en-Laye on a particular day. All the mem- 
bers of this party were in the secret, except a cer- 
tain lady, here designated by the title of the Coun- 
tess de B. who was pitched upon as a proper person 
E 2 for 



88 VENTRILOQUIST. 

for Monsieur St. Gille's delusive powers, as she 
knew nothing either of him or of ventriloquism ; 
and possibly for another reason, which the Abbe, 
through politeness, suppresses. She had been told 
in general, that this party had been formed in con- 
sequence of a report, that an aerial spirit had 
lately established itself in the forest of St. Ger- 
main-en- Laye ; and that a grand deputation from 
the Academy of Sciences was to pass the day 
there, to inquire into the reality of the fact. 

Monsieur St. Grille was one of the first of this 
select party; and, previous to his joining the 
company in the forest, he completely deceived 
one of the Commissaries of the Academy, who 
was then walking apart from the rest, and whom he 
accidentally met. Just as he was abreast of him, 
prepared and guarded as the academician was 
against a deception of this kind, he verily believed 
that he heard his associate M. de Fouchy, who 
was then with the company at above an hundred 
yards distance, calling after him to return as expe- 
ditiously as possible. His valet, too, after re- 
peating to his master the purport of M. de Fou- 
chy's supposed acclamation, turned about towards 
the company, and, with the greatest, simplicity 
imaginable, bawled out as loud as he could, in 
answer to him, " Yes, Sir." 

After this promising beginning, the party sat 

down 



VENTRILOQUIST. 89 

down to dinner ; and the aerial spirit, who had 
been previously furnished with proper anecdotes 
respecting the company, soon began to address 
the Countess of B. particularly, in a voice that 
seemed to be in the air over their heads. Some- 
times he spoke to her from the tops of the trees 
around them, or from the surface of the ground, 
but at a great distance; and at other times seemed 
to speak from a considerable depth under her feet. 
During the dinner, the spirit appeared to be abso- 
lutely inexhaustible in the gallantries he addressed 
to her ; though he sometimes said civil things to 
the rest of the company. This kind of conversa- 
tion lasted above two hours; and, in fine, the 
Countess was firmly persuaded, as the rest of the 
company affected to be, that this was the voice of 
an aerial spirit : nor would she, as the author af- 
firms, have been undeceived, had not the rest of 
the company, by their unguarded behaviour, at 
length excited in her some suspicions. The little 
plot against her was then owned; and she ac- 
knowledged herself to be mortified only in being 
awakened from such a pleasing delusion. 

Several other instances of Monsieur St. Gille's 
talents are related. He is not, however, the only 
ventriloquist now in being. The author, in the 
course of his inquiries on this subject, was in- 
formed that the Baron de Mengin, a German 
E 3 nobleman, 



90 VENTRILOQUIST. 

nobleman, possessed this art in a very high degree. 
The Baron has also constructed a little puppet, 
or doll, (the lower jaw of which he moves by a 
particular contrivance), with which he holds a 
spirited kind of dialogue. In the course of it, the 
little virago is so impertinent, that at last he 
thrusts her into his pocket; from whence she 
seems, to those present, to grumble, and complain 
of her hard treatment. Some time ago, the Baron, 
who was then at the court of Bareith, being in 
company with the Prince de Deux Ponts, and 
other noblemen, amused them with this scene.. An 
Irish officer, who was then present, was so firmly 
persuaded that the Baron's doll was a real living 
animal, previously taught by him to repeat these 
responses, that he watched his opportunity at the 
close of the dialogue, and suddenly made an at- 
tempt to snatch it from his pocket. The little 
doll, as if in danger of being suffocated, during 
the struggle occasioned by this attempt, called out 
for help, and screamed incessantly from the 
pocket till the officer desisted. She then became 
silent; and the Baron was obliged to take her out 
from thence, to convince him, by handling her, 
that she was a mere piece of wood,, 

It should have been observed, at the beginning 
of the Abbe's anecdotes, that ventriloquism is 
the art of vocal deception. It is an art, or quality, 

possessed 



VENTRILOQUIST. 91 

possessed by certain persons, by means of which 
they are enabled to speak inwardly, having the 
power of forming speech by drawing the air into 
the lungs, and to modify the voice in such a man- 
ner as to make it seem to proceed from any dis- 
tance, or in any direction whatever. 

There is no doubt but many of these deceptions 
have been magnified by weak people into those 
dreadful stories of apparitions and hobgoblins, 
which the credulous and enthusiastic are too apt 
implicitly to believe. 



SCHOOL-BOY APPARITION. 

A few years since, the inhabitants of Dorking, 
in Surrey, entertained a notion, that a ghost walked 
in a certain place in that neighbourhood ; and that 
she (for it was an ancient lady, lately dead) was 
seen hovering about the mansion-house, which was 
left uninhabited for some time ; that she would be up 
and down in the house very often in the day-time, 
making a rumbling and a clattering noise ; and 
in the night-time she walked in the neighbouring 
fields, with a candle in her hand, and though the 
wind blew ever so hard, it would not blow the 
E 4 candle 



92 SCHOOL-BOY APPARITION. 

candle out; that sometimes she would appear in 
the open fields, sometimes up in the trees ; and, 
in particular, there was a little heath near Dorking, 
called Cotman Dean, where, if was said, she was 
frequently seen. 

There was a boarding-school of boys in that 
town, some of whom were particularly roguish, 
and contrived all this walking, from the beginning 
to the end. First, they got a small rope; and, 
t}iug one end of it to an old chair which stood in 
an upper room of the house (for they had found 
the means to get in and out of the house at plea- 
sure), they brought the other end of the rope down 
on the other side of the house, in a private place, 
where it could not easily be seen ; and by this they 
pulled the old chair up, and then let it fall down 
again: this made a great noise in the house, and 
was heard distinctly by many of the neighbours*, 
Then other boys of the same gang took care to 
call out the old women in the next houses, that 
now they might hear the old lady playing her 
pranks ; and, accordingly, they would all assemble 
in the court-yard, where they could plainly hear 
the noises, but not one of them would venture to 
go up stairs. If any one offered to go a little way 
up, then all was quiet; but, as soon as ever they 
retired, the rumbling would begin again. This 
was the day's deception. 

Tn 



SCHOOL-BOY APPARITION. 33 

In the night, one of these unlucky boys got a 
dark lanthorn, which was a thing, at that time, 
the country-people did not understand ; and with 
this he walked about the orchard, and two or 
three closes near the house, shewing the light in 
different directions. His comrades would then 
call all the old women about them to see it. Then, 
on a sudden, the light would seem to go out, as 
the boy closed up the lanthorn. Then he would 
run swiftly across the whole field, and shew his 
light again on the other side. Now he would be 
up in a tree, then in the road, then upon the middle 
of the heath; so that the country-people made no 
more question, but that the old lady walked with 
a candle in her hand, and that they saw the light 
of it ; in a word, it passed for an apparition, and 
was generally conceived as such by the neighbour- 
hood, till the knavery was discovered, the boys 
punished, and the towns-people laughed at for 
their credulity. 



E & 



94 



THE 

CREDULOUS PEASANTS. 



JN o longer ago than the year 1788, when the hus- 
bandmen of Paris suffered so severely by the de- 
vastation on the 13th of July in that year, many 
of the farmers were positively so superstitious 
at their own created fears, that, notwithstanding 
considerable sums were offered to indemnify them 
for their losses, and to encourage them to carry- 
on with spirit the cultivation of their lands, with 
new seeds, new implements, &c. they peremptorily 
refused, on account of a foolish report that was 
then prevalent in some parts of the country where 
the storm happened. They said, that two giants 
were seen peeping out of the clouds, and threat- 
ening, with terrible countenances,,gigantic frowns, 
and high-sounding words, that they would return 
next year on the same thirteenth day of July, with 
a greater scourge than they then felt. Terrified 
either at the imagined report, or at the fancied 
sight of the giants (which terror and a weak brain 
will often produce), many of the unhappy sufferers 
abandoned their houses, and commenced beggars, 
rather than return to the labours of the field": so 

great 



CREDULOUS PEASANTS. 95 

great was their affright, in consequence of that 
tremendous storm. 

This story, though hardly credible, may be de- 
pended on as a fact, and k may be seen in many of 
the public prints of that time. 



NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 

1 he following authentic story is related by Dr. 
Plot, in his Natural History of Oxfordshire. 

Soon after the murder of King Charles the First, 
a commission was appointed to survey the King's 
house at Woodstock, with the manor, park, woods, 
and other demesnes thereunto belonging ; and one 
Collins, under a feigned name, hired himself as 
Secretary to the Commissioners : who* upon' the 
thirteenth of October 1649, met, and took up their 
residence in the King's own rooms. His Majesty's 
bed-chamber they made their kitchen; the council- 
hall, their pantry ; and the presence-chamber was 
the place where they sat for the dispatch of busi- 
ness. His Majesty's dining room they made their 
wood-yard, and stored it with the wood of the fa- 
mous royal oak, from the high park; which, that 
nothing might be left with the name of the King 
E 6 about 



96 NOCTURE AL DISTURBER*. 

about it, they had dug up by the roots, and split, 
and bundled up into faggots for their firing. 

Things being thus prepared, they sat on the 16th 
of the-same month for the dispatch of business; and 
in the midst of their first debate, there entered a 
large black dog, as they thought, which made a 
dreadful howling, overturned two or three of their 
chairs, and then crept under a bed, and vanished. 
This gave them Ihe greater surprise, as the doors 
were kept constantly locked, so that no real dog 
could get in or out. The next day, their surprise 
was increased; when, sitting at dinner in a lower 
room, they heard plainly the noise of persons 
walking over their heads, though they well knew 
the doors were all locked, and there could be no- 
body there, Presently after, they heard also all 
the wood of the King's oak brought by parcels 
from the dining-room, and thrown with great vio- 
lence into the chamber ; as also the chairs, stools, 
tables, and other furniture, forcibly hurled about 
the room ; their own papers of the minutes of their 
transactions torn ; and the ink-glass broken. When 
this noise had some time ceased, Giles Sharp, their 
Secretary, proposed to enter first into these rooms ; 
and, in presence of the Commissioners, of whom 
he received the key, he opened the doors, and 
found the wood spread about the room, the chairs 
tossed about, and broken, the papers torn, and the 

ink-glass 



NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 97 

ink-glass broken (as has been said); but not the 
least track of any human creature, nor the least 
reason to suspect one, as the doors were all fast, 
and the keys in the custody of the Commissioners. 
It was therefore unanimously agreed, that the 
power who did this mischief must have entered 
the room at the key-hole. 

The night following, Sharp, the Secretary, 
with two of the Commissioners' servants, as 
they were in bed in the same room (which 
room was contiguous to that where the Commis- 
sioners lay)) had their beds' feet lifted so much 
higher than their heads, that they expected to 
have their necks broken; and then they were 
let fall at once with so much violence, as shook 
the whole house, and more than ever terrified the 
Commissioners. 

On the night of the nineteenth, as all were 
in bed in the same room for greater safety, 
and lights burning by them, the candles in an 
instant went out with a sulphurous smell : and, 
that moment, many trenchers of wood were hurled 
about the room ; which, next morning, Mere found 
to be the same their Honours had eaten off the day 
before, which were all removed from the pantry, 
though not a lock was found opened in the whole 
house. The next night, they fared still worse: 
the candles went out as before ; the curtains of 

their 



98 NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 

their Houours' beds were rattled to and fro with 
great violence ; their Honours received many cruel 
blows and bruises by eight great pewter dishes, and 
a number of wooden trenchers, being thrown on 
their beds, which being heaved off were heard roll- 
ing about the room, though in the morning none of 
them were to be seen. The following night, like- 
wise, they were alarmed with the tumbling down 
of oaken billets about their beds, and other frightful 
noises : but all was clear in the morning, as if no 
such thing had happened. The next night, the 
keeper of the King's house and his dog lay in the 
Commissioners' room ; and then they had no dis- 
turbance. But, on the night of the twenty-second, 
though the dog lay in the room- as before, yet the 
candles went out, a number of brickbats fell from 
the chimney into the room, the dog howled j^ite- 
ously, their bed-clothes were all stripped off, and 
their terror increased. On the twenty-fourth 
night, they thought all the wood of the King's oak 
was violently thrown down by their bed-sides ; 
they counted sixty-four billets that fell, and some 
hit and shook the beds in which they lay : but in 
the morning none were found there, nor had the 
door been opened where the billet-wood was kept. 
The next night, the candles were put out, the cur- 
tains rattled, and a dreadful crack like thunder 
was heard; and one of the servants, running to 

see 



NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. Q9 

see if his master was not killed, found three dozen 
of trenchers laid smoothly under the quilt by 
him. 

But all this was nothing to what succeeded af- 
terwards. The twenty-ninth, about midnight, the 
candles went out; something walked majestically 
through the room, and opened and shut the win- 
dows; great stones were thrown violently into the 
room, some of which fell on the beds, others on 
the floor; and, about a quarter after one, a noise 
was heard, as of forty cannon discharged together, 
and again repeated at about eight minutes dis- 
"lancc. This alarmed and raised all the neighbour- 
hood ; who, coming into their Honours' rooms, ga- 
thered up the great stones, fourscore in number, 
and laid them in the coiner of a field, where, in Dr. 
Plot's time, who reported this story, they were to 
be seen. This noise, like the discharge of cannon, 
was heard through all the country for sixteen 
miles round. During these noises, which were 
heard in both rooms together, the Commissioners 
and their servants gave one another over for lost, 
and cried out for help; and Giles Sharp, snatch- 
ing up a. sword, had well nigh killed one of their 
Honours, mistaking him for the spirit, as he came 
in his shirt, from his own room to their's. While 
they were together, the noise was continued, and 
part of the tiling of the house was stripped off, 

and 



100 NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 

and all the windows of an upper room were taken 
away with it. 

On the thirtieth at midnight, something walked 
into the chamber, treading like a bear ; it walked 
many times about, then threw a warming-pan vio- 
lently on the floor : at the same time a large quan- 
tity of broken glass, accompanied with great 
stones and horses' bones, came pouring into the 
room, with uncommon force ; these were all found 
in the morning, to the astonishment and terror of 
the Commissioners, who were yet determined to 
go on with their business. 

But, on the first of November, the most dread- 
ful scene of all ensued. Candles in every part of 
the house were lighted up, and a great fire made. 
At midnight, the candles all yet burning, a noise, 
like the burst of a camion, was heard in the room, 
and the burning billets were tossed about by it 
even into their Honours' beds, who called Giles 
and his companions to their relief, otherwise the 
house had been burned to the ground. About an 
hour after, the candles went out as usual ; the 
crack of as many cannon was heard ; and many 
pailfuls of green stinking water were thrown upon 
their Honours' beds ; great stones were thrown in, 
as before; the bed-curtains and bedsteads torn 
and broken ; the windows shattered ; and the 
whole neighbourhood alarmed with the most 

dreadful 



NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 101 

dreadful noises ; nay, the very rabbit-stealers that 
were abroad that night in the warren, were so ter- 
rified, that they fled for fear, and left their ferrets 
behind them. One of their Honours, this nighty 
spoke; and, in the name of God, asked what it 
was? and why it disturbed them so? No answer 
was given to this, but the noise ceased for a while; 
when the spirit came again, and, as they all agreed, 
brought with it seven devils worse than itself. One 
of the servants now lighted a large candle, and 
placed himself in the doorway between the two 
chambers, to see what passed ; and, as he watched, 
he plainly saw a hoof striking the candle and can- 
dlestick into the middle of the room, and after- 
wards making three scrapes over the snuff, scraped 
it out. Upon this the same person was so bold as 
to draw a sword ; but he had scarce got it out, 
when he felt an invisible hand had hold of it too, 
and pulled with him for it, and, at length pre- 
vailing, struck him so violently on the head with 
the hilt, that he fell down for dead with the blow. 
At this instant was heard another burst, like the 
discharge of the broadside of a ship of war ; and, 
at about a minute or two's distance each, no less 
than nineteen more such. These shook the house 
so violently, that they expected every moment it 
would fall upon their heads. The neighbours, on 
this, as has been said, being all alarmed, flocked 

to 



102 NOCTURNAL DISTURBERS. 

to the house in great numbers, and all joined m 
prayer and psalm-singing ; during which the noise 
still continued in the other rooms, and the report 
of cannon was heard as from without, though no 
visible agent was seen to discharge them. 

But what was the most alarming of all, and put 
an end to their proceedings effectually, happened 
the next day, as they were all at dinner; when a 
paper, in which they had signed a mutual agree- 
ment to reserve a part of the premises out of the 
general survey, and afterwards to share it equally 
amongst them, (which paper they had hid, for the 
present, under the earth, in a pot in one corner of 
the room, in which an orange-tree grew), was 
consumed in a wonderful manner, by the earth's 
taking fire, with which the pot was filled, and 
burning violently with a blue flame, and an into- 
lerable stench, so that they were all driven out of 
the house, to which they could never again be 
prevailed upon to return. 

This wonderful contrivance was all the inven- 
tion of the memorable Joseph Collins, of Oxford, 
otherwise called Funny Joe; who, having hired 
himself for their Secretary, under the name of 
Giles Sharp, by knowing the private -traps belong- 
ing to the house, and the help of pulvis fulminans 
and other chemical preparations, and letting his 
ellow -servants into the scheme, carried on the 

deceit, 



NOCTURNAI, DISTURBERS. 103 

deceit, without discovery, to the very last, so des- 
irously, that the late Dr. Plot, in- his Natural 
History, relates the whole for fact, in the gravest 
manner. 



MARESCHAL SAXE, 

AND 

THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 

1 he following very remarkable adventure, which 
befel the Mareschal de Saxe, whilst returning to 
his country-seat, near Dresden, in Saxony, has 
often been related by him to his friends and ac- 
quaintance ; and, as the Mareschal was not less 
famed for his love of truth, than for his heroic 
courage as a warrior, none of them ever doubted 
the truth of his relation. 

" Returning," says the Mareschal, " from the 
fatigues of a very active campaign to my country- 
seat, in order to seek, in retirement, some relaxa- 
tion during the remainder of the winter, I arrived 
on the third day at a small village, on the verge 
of an extensive forest. At about half a league 
from this village, stood an ancient castle, in which 
some of the country-people were usually wont to 
take up their abode, and from which they had of 

late 



104 MARESCHAL SAXE, AND 

late been driven, according to their account, by 
the nightly appearance of a most terrific spectre, 
whose visit was announed by the most hideous 
groans. On conversing with some of the villagers?' 
observes the Mareschal, " I found that an univer- 
sal terror pervaded the whole neighbourhood ; 
many of them declaring they had actually seen 
the dreadful ghost; whilst others, taking their 
declaration for granted, promulgated the story," 
according as their imaginations were more or less 
affected by their fears. 

" Willing, if possible, to comfort these poor 
people, and to convince them that their senses 
were deceived, I told them they were wrong to 
suffer their fears to get the better of their reason ; 
and that, if any of them had the courage to exa- 
mine more closely into the affair, they would find 
the whole was nothing more than some imposture, 
or the effusion of a superstitious brain, or, at most, 
a trick played upon them by some wicked people 
on purpose to amuse themselves by sporting with 
their feelings. But 1 was much disappointed to 
find that my arguments had but little effect. I 
therefore determined, if possible, to trace the 
affair to the bottom before I departed, in order 
to dispel their fears, and do away the unfavourable 
impression they had so generally entertained of 
the castle being haunted, 

. " I now 



THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 105 

** I now told them, I would pass a night in one 
of the apartments of the castle, provided I were 
furnished with a bed, and other necessaries requi- 
site for such an undertaking. ' Moreover,' said I, 
' if this ghostly personage should honour me with 
a visit, I shall not fail to propose articles of ac- 
commodation between you.' To this they readily 
assented, and seemed much pleased with my pro- 
position. 

" In the evening, my bed, fire, and other requi- 
sites, being ready, I Mas conducted to my new 
abode ; on entering which, I proposed to some of 
ray conductors to pass the night with me, which 
they, one and all, declined, under various pre- 
tences. ' Well then, my good people,' said I, ral- 
lying their want of courage, ' the day is now 
closing apace, I would have you return immedi- 
ately, lest this nightly intruder should intercept 
you in your retreat.' Whereupon my companions 
took leave, and hastened with all speed from the 
castle. 

" Being now alone, I thought it prudent to 
examine the castle with the most minute circum- 
spection. After various researches to discover all 
the private avenues of the place, I returned to the 
apartment I proposed sleeping in, at the further 
end of which I perceived a door that till now I 
had not discovered. I essayed to open it, but in 

vain, 



106 MARES€HAL SAXE, AND 

vain, as it was fastened on the other side. This 
naturally excited my suspicion. I again made the 
attempt, and again was unsuccessful. I then pre- 
pared to guard myself against a surprise ; I there- 
fore charged my pistols, and laid them together 
with my sword in a convenient place to seize them 
on the least alarm. I then took a slight repast, of 
such provisions as had been prepared for me ; 
after which I amused myself, until my usual hour 
of going to rest, with examining the Gothic deco- 
rations of my apartment, and then laid me down 
on the~bed, and, being rather overcome with the 
fatigue of the day, I soon sunk into a profound 
sleep. How long I continued in this state, I can- 
not exactly say ; but I conjectured it to be about 
midnight, when T was alarmed with the most unac- 
countable noise I had ever heard. I listened a 
few seconds, to ascertain from whence the sound 
came, and soon found it proceeded from without 
the door I had fruitlessly attempted to open. I 
instantly jumped from the bed, seized my arms, 
and was in the act of advancing towards it, deter- 
mined to find out the cause of this disturbance, 
let what would be the consequence ; when, sud- 
denly the door flew open, with the most tremen- 
dous crash. A hollow groan issued from the 
vaults below ; and a tall figure of gigantic appear- 
ance, clad in complete armour, rose to my view. 

The 



THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 107 

The figure's appearance was so sudden and terrific, 
that I could not in a moment collect myself suffi- 
ciently to call out and speak to it ; but, a moment 
after, my courage returned, and, calling to mind, 
that I could only find safety in my own courageous 
efforts, and not doubting but the intruder was a 
mortal like myself, I instantly levelled one of my 
pistols, and fired. The ball struck the breast- 
plate of the figure, glided quickly off, and lodged 
in the wall. I levelled again, fired, and with the 
same effect. I then drew my sword, at the same 
time exclaiming, * Know that I am the Mareschal 
deSaxe; that I am a stranger to fear, and that this 
sword shall quickly prove whether thou art mor- 
tal or not !' ' Be thou the Mareschal de Saxe, or 
the devil/ replied the figure; ' thy courage here 
can avail thee nought. I have the means to de- 
stroy thee, or an hundred such, in an instant. But, 
follow me; thy obedience only can insure thy 
safety.' I now saw that resistance would be vain, 
as several figures clad in armour like the first, and 
well armed, appeared at each door. 'Well then,' 
said I, ' since it is so, lead the way ; but remem- 
ber, that the first who dares touch me dies, if my 
own life is the immediate forfeiture/ 

" We then quitted the apartment, by, the secret 
door already mentioned; and, descending by a 
circuitous flight of stairs, soon arrived at another 

door, 



108 MARESCHAL SAXE, AND 

door, which flew open on our approach. No 
sooner were we entered, than my guide gave a 
signal to those who followed, and the door was 
instantly shut. A number of Vulcan-like creatures 
now appeared, bearing lighted torches, and leadi- 
ing the way through a winding subterraneous pas- 
sage. We soon came to a spacious arched vault, 
in which 1 beheld upwards of fifty persons very 
actively engaged in the various processes of coin- 
ing. The whole mystery was now developed ; 
and I discovered that, for the first time in my life, 
I had fallen into the hands of a most desperate 
gang of coiners. Escape was now utterly impos- 
sible ; nor could I entertain the most distant hope 
of succour from without the castle, as my sudden 
disappearance would rather operate to confirm 
the terror of the villagers, than stimulate them to 
search after me. 

" The man in armour now turned to me, and 
addressed me in nearly the following words — 
* You now see for what purpose we are here 
arrived. I am the chief of this band ; and it is 
principally to me you may attribute your preserva- 
tion. We have but recently taken up our abode 
in this castle ; and the plan we have fallen upon 
to terrify the villagers and country round, and 
thereby keep them from pursuing us, has hitherto 
succeeded beyond our most sanguine expectations ; 

nor 



THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 109 

nor was it likely we should have been disturbed 
for years to come, had you not visited these parts. 
Of your resolute intention to sleep in the haunted 
apartment we were informed by our friends with- 
out ; your name also was made known to us : upon 
which an universal consternation ensued. Many 
wished to fly, in order to avoid, what they con- 
ceived, inevitable destruction: others were of opi- 
nion, it would be better to suffer you to enter the 
castle quietly ; and as, most likely you would be 
attended with but few persons, to dispatch you all 
in the night, and hide your bodies among the ruins 
in one of the vaults. This last proposition had 
the majority ; as it was considered, that our own 
safety would not only be secured for the present 
by this act, but it would in all probability prevent 
others from making the like attempt hereafter. 
But this proceeding was happily over-ruled by me 
and a few others — I say, happily ; for though we 
are considered, in the eye of the law, as co-brothers 
with assassins and midnight robbers, yet God for- 
bid that we should add to our crimes by staining 
our hands with the bloqd of the innocent. To be 
brief, I promised that, with the aid of a few of my 
companions, I would drive you from the castle by 
the same stratagem I have before made use of to 
others, or, if that did not succeed, to secure and 
conduct you by force. Thus have I explained the 
F cause 



110 MARESCHAL SAXE, AND 

cause of your present detention. The regaining 
your liberty must entirely depend on your acqui- 
escence with our proposals ; and there is a way I 
can point out, by which you may secure both your 
own safety and our's.' '■ Name it not then,' said I, in- 
terrupting him, ' if it be dishonourable ; for I had 
rather perish here by your hands, than owe my 
liberty to any connivance at your iniquities, or be 
the instrument of your future security !' ' Use your 
own pleasure,' continued he, in a determined tone 
of voice; • but you certainly must not depart this 
place until you have bound yourself by your honour 
not to divulge a secret, on which depend the lives 
of so many persons. That word, once pledged 
by the Mareschal de Saxe, will be a sufficient gua- 
rantee of our future safety. I could have wished 
our request had been more congenial to your feel- 
ings; but our situation is desperate, and conse- 
quently impels us to enforce, what we would, 
under all other circumstances, have solicited as 
the least of favours — your word of honour. 

" I paused for several minutes : a confused mur- 
mur now run throughout the whole place, and 3n 
universal disapprobation at the chiefs forbearance 
began now to manifest itself. Add to which, I saw 
the utter impracticability of escape without com- 
plying with their demand ; and I knew that their 
prepossession in my favour was but partial, and of 

course 



THE HAUNTED CASTLE. Ill 

course might soon give way to their former plan of 
assassinating me for their safety. If I continued 
inflexible, I perceived my death was inevitable. 
Therefore, as the majority were favourably in- 
clined, I made a virtue of necessity, and gave them 
my word to keep the secret of the whole affair 
locked within my own breast. ' You are now at 
liberty,' said the chief, ' to return to your apart- 
ment, where you may rely on being perfectly safe 
until break of day, when you had better depart." 
Whereupon the doors flew open, and I was con- 
ducted back to my old lodging, where I sat ru- 
minating on the strangeness of the adventure. 

" Day now appearing, I quitted the castle, and 
hied me to the village, where I found most of the 
inhabitants already in waiting, eager to hear how 
I made out with the ghost. Numberless were 
their interrogatories, which I only answered by 
telling them I was not at liberty to disclose what 
I had seen and heard. Their old opinions were 
now more fully confirmed than ever; and, I believe, 
from that moment uone have had courage to ven- 
ture near the castle after dark; and it is probable 
that, to this day, the whole mystery has never- 
been truly explained to their satisfaction. Shortly 
after, 1 set out on my journey, and soon arrived in 
safety at my own domain.* 

" About four years after this, a person rode up to 
f 2 my 



112 MARESCHAL SAXE, <SrC 

my gate, leading a couple of beautiful chargers, 
which he delivered, with a letter addressed to me, 
into the hands of my domestics ; and, having so 
done, he clapped spurs to his horse, and disap- 
peared in an instant. On opening the letter, I 
found it contained nearly the following words — 

* From the pretended Ghost of the H minted Castle, 

' to the Mareschal de Saxe. 

' Brave Mareschal — You are now at liberty to 

* divulge the secret of oar affair in the haunted 
'castle. Our fortunes are now made; and, ere 
' you receive this, we shall be far from hence. 
' But remember, that whatever the world may say 

* as to the propriety of keeping your word with 
' men like us, know, that the honour of a prince*, 
' once pledged, should be kept inviolate, even 

* though given in a bad cause. My companions 
' desired me to beg your acceptance of the horses 

* you will receive herewith, as a mark of their 
' most grateful acknowledgments. Adieu ! May 

* you live long, and be happy/ — " 

* The Mareschal was the son of a King. 



REMARKABLE 



113 



REMARKABLE RESUSCITATION, 



In the first volume of the Causes Celebres, a po- 
pular French work, is the following extraordinary 
story, which occasioned a serious law-suit. 

Two men in trade, who -lived in the street St. 
Ilonore in Paris, nearly equal in circumstances, 
both following the same profession, and united in 
the closest friendship, had each of them a child, 
much about the same age. These children were 
brought up together, and conceived a mutual at- 
tachment, which, ripening with years into a stronger 
and more lively sentiment, was approved by the 
parents on both sides. This young couple was 
upon the point of being made happy, by a more 
solemn union, when a rich financier, conceiving a 
passion for the young maiden, unfortunately crossed 
their inclinations by demanding her in marriage. 
The allurements of a more brilliant fortune se- 
duced her father and mother, notwithstanding 
their daughter's repugnance, to consent to the 
change. To their entreaties, however, she was 
obliged to yield, and sacrificed her affections by 
becoming the wife of the financier. Like a wo- 
f 3 man 



114 REMARKABLE RESUSCITATION. 

man of virtue, she forbade her earlier lover the 
house. A fit of melancholy, the consequence of 
this violence done to her inclinations by entering 
into an engagement of interest, brought on her a 
malady, which so far benumbed her faculties, that 
at length she was given over by the faculty, appa- 
rently died, and was accordingly laid out for burial. 

Her former lover, who had once before beheld 
<her in a similar situation, flattered himself that he 
might possibly again find her in a trance. This 
idea not only suspended his grief, but prompted 
him to bribe the grave-digger, by whose aid he 
dug up the body in the night-time, and conveyed 
it home. He then used every means in his power 
for recalling her to life, and was overjoyed on dis- 
covering that his endeavours were not ineffectual. 

It is not easy to conceive the surprise of the 
young woman on her resuscitation, when she found , 
herself in a strange house, and, as it were, in the 
arras of her lover, who soon informed her of what 
had taken place on her account. She then com- 
prehended the extent of her obligation to her 
deliverer ; and love, more pathetic than all his 
persuasions to unite their destinies, determined 
her, on her recovery, to escape with him into 
England. This was effected ; and they lived for 
some years in the closest union. 

At the end of ten years, they conceived the 

natural 



RETVIARKABLE RESUSCITATION. 115 

natural wish of revisiting their own country, and 
at length returned to Paris, where they- took no 
precaution whatever of concealing themselves, 
being persuaded that no suspicion would attach 
to their arrival. It happened however, by chance, 
that the financier met his wife in one of the public 
walks. The sight of her made so strong an im- 
pression on him, that for some time he imagined 
it must be her apparition ; and, being fully per- 
suaded of her death, he could not for a long time 
efface that idea. However, he so contrived it as 
to join her; and, notwithstanding the language 
she made use of to impose upon him, he left her 
with the conviction that he was not deceived at 
finding her a living substance. 

The singularity of this event gave more charms 
to the woman in the eyes of her former husband 
than she before possessed. He therefore acted with 
such address, that he discovered her abode, not- 
withstanding all her precautions, and reclaimed 
her with all the regular formalities of justice. 

It was in vain that the lover maintained the 
right which his cares for his mistress gave him to 
the possession of her; that he represented her 
inevitable death but for him; that his adversary 
divested himself of all his own rights, by causing 
her to be buried; that he ought even to be ac- 
cused of homicide, for want of having taken 
F 4 proper 



116 REMARKABLE RESUSCITATION. 

proper precautions to assure himself of her death ; 
and a thousand other ingenious reasons, which love 
suggested to him. But, finding that the judicial 
ear was unfavourable, and not thinking it expedient 
to wait the result of a definitive judgment, he fled 
with his mistress into a foreign country ; where 
they passed the remainder of their days without 
further molestation. 



CREDULOUS BISHOP. 

A few years since, a memorable conference took 
place between Dr. Fowler (then Bishop of Glou- 
cester) and a Mr. Justice Powell: the former, a 
zealous defender of ghosts ; and the latter, some- 
what sceptical about them. They had several al- 
tercations upon the subject ; and once, when the 
Bishop made a visit to the Justice, the latter, con- 
tracting the muscles of his face into an air of more 
than usual severity, assured the Bishop, that, since 
their last disputation, besides his Lordship's strong 
reasons, he had met with no less proof than ocular 
demonstration, to convince him of $he- real exist- 
ence of ghosts. " How!" says the Bishop, " ocu- 
lar demonstration ! Well, 1 have preached, I have 

printed, 



CREDULOUS BISSOP. 117 

printed, upon the subject; but nothing will con- 
vince you sceptics but ocular demonstration. I 
am glad, Mr. Justice, you are become a convert. 
But pray, Sir, how went this affair ? I beseech you, 
let me know the whole story." " My Lord," an- 
swered the Justice, " as I lay one night in my bed, 
and had gone ^through the better half of my first 
sleep, it being about twelve o'clock, on a sudden I 
was awakened by a very strange and uncommon 
noise, and heard something coming up stairs, and 
stalking directly towards my room. I had the 
courage to raise myself upon my pillow, and to 
draw the curtain, just as I heard my chamber-door 
open, and saw a glimmering light enter my cham- 
ber." " Of a blue colour, no doubt," says the 
Bishop. " Of a pale blue," answers the Justice. 
" But, permit me, my good Lord, to proceed. 
The light was followed by a tall, meagre, and 
stern personage, who seemed to be of the age of 
seventy, in a long dangling rug gown, bound 
round his loins with a broad leathern girdle ; his 
beard was thick and grizzly ; he had a large fur 
cap on his head, and a long staff-in his hand ; his 
face was full of wrinkles, and seemed to be of a 
dark and sable hue. I was struck with the ap- 
pearance of so surprising a figure, and felt some 
shocks which I had never before been acquainted 
with. Soon after the spectre had entered my 
F 5 room. 



118 CREDULOUS BISHOP. 

room, with a hasty, but somewhat stately pace, 
it drew near my bed, and stared me full in the 
face." " And did you not speak to if?" inter- 
rupted the Bishop, with a good deal of emotion. 
" With submission, my Lord," says the Justice, 
" please only to indulge me in a few words more." 
" But, Mr. Justice, Mr. Justice," replies the Bishop 
still more hastily, " you should have spoken to it ; 
there was money hid, or a murder committed ; 
and give me leave to observe, that murder is a mat- 
ter cognizable by law, and this came regularly into 
judgment before you." " Well, my Lord, you will 
have your way ; but, in short, I did speak to it." 
" And what answer, Mr. Justice, I pray you — 
what answer did it make you ?" " My Lord, the 
answer was, nof without a thump with the staff, 
and a shake of the lanthorn, that he was the watch- 
man of the night, and came to give me notice, that 
he had found the street-door open, and that, unless 
I arose and shut it, I might chance to be robbed 
before break of day." 

The moment these words were out of the good 
Justice's mouth, the Bishop vanished with much 
more haste than did the supposed ghost, and in as 
great a surprise at the Justice's scepticism, as. the 
Justice was at the Bishop's credulity. 



119 



THE 

GHOSTLY ADVENTURER. 



About thirty years ago, some labouring mecha- 
nics met one Saturday evening, after receiving their 
wages, at a public-house, near Rippon, in York- 
shire, for the purpose of enjoying themselves con- 
vivially, after the cares and fatigues of the week. 
The glass circulated freely : every man told his 
story, or sung a song ; and various were the sub- 
jects of conversation. At length that of courage 
was introduced ; every man now considered him- 
self a hero, as is generally the case when liquor 
begins to operate. One boasted his skill as a pu- 
gilist, and related how many battles he had fought, 
and came off victorious ; another related a dreadful 
encounter he had lately had with a mad dog, whom 
he overpowered and left dead on the field ; a third 
told a story of his sleeping in a haunted house, and 
his conversation with a dreadful ghost. In short, 
Yarious and extravagant were the different tales 
they told ; until one, who had hitherto remained 
silent, arose, and told them that, notwithstanding 
their boasted courage, he would wager a bet of 
five guineas, that not one of the company had reso- 
F 6 lutiofi 



120 GHOSTLY ADVENTURER, 

Jution sufficient to go to the bone-house, in the 
parish church-yard (which was about a mile dis- 
tant), and bring a skull from thence with him, and 
place it on the table before the guests. This 
wager was soon accepted by one of the party, who 
immediately set off on his expedition to the church- 
yard. The wag who had proposed the bet, and 
who knew a nearer by-way to the bone-house than 
his opponent had taken, requested of .the landlady 
to lend him a white sheet, and that he would soon 
cool this heroic man's courage. The landlady, 
who enjoyed the joke, complied with his request, 
lent him the sheet, and off set our wag w ith the 
utmost speed. He arrived at .the' bone-house first, 
threw the sheet over him, and placed himself in 
one corner, waiting the arrival of his comrade. 
Presently after enters the first man, with slow de- 
liberate pace ; and observing a figure in white, he 
felt himself greatly alarmed (as he afterwards ac- 
knowledged). However, he resumed his courage, 
advanced, stooped down, and picked up a skull. 
Immediately the phantom exclaimed, in a deep and 
hollow tone, "That's my father's skull!" " Well 
then," replied the adventurer, " if it be thy fa- 
ther's skull, take it." So down he laid it, and took 
up* another ; when the figure replied, in the same 
hollow tone, " That's my mother' s skull ! " " Well 
then," the other again replied, " if it be thy mo- 
ther's 



GHOSTLY ADVENTURER. . 121 

titer's skull, take it." So down he laid it, and took 
up a third. The apparition now, in a tremen- 
dously awful manner, cried out, " That's my skull!" 
" If it be the devil's skull, I'll have it!" answered 
the hero; and oft* he ran with it in his hand,, 
greatly terrified, and the spectre after him. 

In his flight through the church-yard, he stum- 
bled over a tomb-stone, and fell ; which occasioned 
the ghost likewise to fall upon him, which in- 
creased not a little his fright. However, he soon 
extricated himself, and again bent his flight towards 
the inn, which he soon reached ; and, bolting sud- 
denly into the room, exclaimed, with terrific coun- 
tenance, his hair standing on end, ''• Here is the 
skull you sent me for: but, by George, the right 
owner's coming for it!" Saying which, down went 
the skull, and instantly appeared the figure with 
the white sheet on. This unexpected intrusion so 
much frightened all the company, that they ran 
out of the house as fast as possible, really believ- 
ing it was an apparition from the tombs come to 
punish them for their sacrilegious theft. Such 
power has fear over the strongest mind when taken 
by surprise ! The undaunted adventurer, however, 
won his wager ; which was spent at the same house 
the Saturday following, when the joke was univer- 
sally allowed to be a very good one. 



122 

THE 

HEROIC MIDSHIPMAN; 

OR, 
CHURCH-YJRD ENCOUNTER. 

At a respectable inn, in a market-town, in the 
west of England, some few years since, a regular 
set of the inhabitants met every evening to smoke 
their pipes, and pass a convivial hour. The con- 
versation, as is usual at those places, was generally 
desultory. One evening, the subject introduced 
was concerning ghosts and apparitions; and many 
were the dreadful stories then told. A young mid- 
shipman, having accidentally dropped in, sat a 
silent and an attentive hearer; and, among other 
tales, heard a dreadful one of a sprite or hobgoblin 
dressed in white, which every night was seen ho- 
vering over the graves, in a church-yard at no great 
distance from the inn, and through which was a 
foot-path to one of the principal streets in the town. 
Our young gentleman felt himself stimulated with 
an ardour of quixotism at this relation ; and was 
determined in his own mind, whatever might be 
the consequence, to encounter this nightly spectre, 
which so much disturbed the courageous inhabit- 
ants of the place. His pride was, to perform this 

mighty 



HEROIC MIDSHIPMAN. 123 

mighty achievement alone. Therefore, between 
eleven and twelve o'clock at night, out he sallies, 
without making his intentions known to any one, 
and entered the church-yard. But, I should ob_ 
serve, that he had his hanger by his side. Having 
reached about the middle, of the church-yard, he 
observed, sure enough, something in white moving 
backwards and forwards ; but the haziness of the 
night prevented his strict discernment of the figure's 
shape. As it appeared advancing towards him, a 
momentary trepidation seized him. He retreated 
a few steps; but, soon recovering himself, he reso- 
lutely cried out, " Who comes here?" No answer 
being made, he again cried out, " Who comes here?" 
Still no reply was made. He then groped about 
for a stone or brick-bat, which having found, he 
threw with great violence at the figure ; upon 
which it appeared to move much quicker than be- 
fore. He again spoke to the figure ; and, receiv- 
ing no answer, drew his hanger, and made a despe- 
rate stroke at this dreadful spectre, which moving 
with still greater agility, now alarmed our adven- 
turer, and caused him to run away greatly terrified, 
believing he had encountered some supernatural 
appearance, which had resisted all his blows. Tt 
was not long ere he reached home, and went to 
bed; but his fright was so great, that sleep could 
not gain any ascendancy over him. He therefore 

lay 



124 HEROIC MIDSHIPMAN. 

lay ruminating on this extraordinary affair the 
whole night. In the morning, while at breakfast, 
the bellman, or crier, came nearly under his win- 
dow, and began his usual introductory address of 
" O-yez! O-yez!" These words immediately ar- 
rested the ears of our adventurer; and, to his very 
great astonishment, he heard him thus proceed — 
" This is to give notice, that whereas some evil- 
disposed person, or persons, did wantonly cut and 
maim the parson's white mare, which was grazing 
in the church-yard last night, a reward often gui- 
neas will be given to any person who will discover 
the offender, or offenders, so that they may be 
brought to justice ! God save the King !" Our 
champion now thought it prudent to decamp with- 
out beat of drum. Thus ended this ghostly ad- 
venture ; the particulars of which the inhabitants 
were informed of by letter, the moment the young 
gentleman had got safe on board his ship. 



125 



THE 

COCK-LANE GHOST, 



About the middle of January 1762, a gentleman 
was sent for to the house of one Parsons, the offi- 
ciating parish clerk of St. Sepulchre's, in Cock 
Lane, near West Smithfield, to be witness to the 
noises, and other extraordinary circumstances, at- 
tending the supposed presence of a spirit, that, for 
two years preceding, had been heard in the night, 
to the great terror of the family. This knocking 
and scratching Was always heard under the bed 
where the children lay; the eldest was about 
twelve years of age. To find out the cause, Mr. 
Parsons, the parish-clerk, ordered the wainscot to 
be taken down; which was accordingly done: 
but the noise, instead of ceasing, as he hoped, be- 
came more violent than ever. The children were 
afterwards removed into the two-pair of stairs 
room, where the same noise followed, and was fre- 
quently heard all night. 

From these circumstances it was apprehended 
that the house was haunted ; and the other child de- 
clared, that she, some time ago, had seen the appa- 
rition 



120 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

rition of a woman, surrounded, as it were, with a 
blazing light. About two years prior to which, a 
publican in the neighbourhood, bringing a pot of 
beer into the house, about eleven o'clock at night, 
was so frightened that he let the beer fall, upon 
seeing on the stairs, as he was looking up, a bright 
shining figure of a woman, by which he saw 
through a window into the charity-school, and 
saw the dial in the school. The figure passed by 
him, and beckoned him to follow; but he was to© 
much terrified to obey its directions : he ran home, 
and was very sick. Soon after, Mr. Parsons him- 
self, having occasion to go into another room, saw 
the same appearance. Both these happened 
within the space of an hour. 

To throw some light upon this very myste- 
rious affair, Ave shall begin with the narrative of 
Mr. Brown, of Amen Corner, published January 
23d, 1762; the substance of which is as follows-r- 

That in 1759, one Mr. K employed an agent 

to cany a letter to a young gentlewoman of a re- 
putable family in Norfolk, and to bring her up to 
London in a post-chaise, if she would be willing 

to come. That she did come ; but Mr. K 

being at Greenwich, she followed him there di- 
rectly, and was received by him, after a journey 
of one hundred miles performed in one day, with 
msch tenderness. After some short stay at G reen- 

i wich, 



COCK-LANE GHOST. x 127 

wich, where it was thought necessary that she 
should make a will in his favour, she was removed 
to a lodging near the Mansion-House ; from thence 
to lodgings behind St. Sepulchre's church ; and, 
lastly, to a house in Bartlett Court, in the parish 
of Clerkenwell. Here, in 1760, she was taken ill 
of the small-pox; and, on or about the 31st of 
January, her sister, who lived reputably in Pall- 
Mail, was first made acquainted with her illness, 
and place of residence. Being greatly concerned 
thus to hear of her, she went immediately, and 
found her in a fair way of doing well ; next day she 
sent, and received a favourable account of her; 
but, on the morning following, word was brought 
that her sister was dead. She died February 2d, 
1760 ; and was buried, in two or three days after, 
at the church of St. John, Clerkenwell. Her sis- 
ter, attending her funeral, was surprised at not 
seeing a plate upon the coffin, and expressed that 
surprise to Mr. Brown after the funeral was over ; 
lamenting, at the same time, she had not been per- 
mitted to see her sister's corpse, the coffin being 
screwed down before she came. She added, that 

K had married one of her sisters, and had 

ruined the other, who was buried by the name of 

, as appears by the parish register. By. the 

will already mentioned, K availed himself of 

her fortune, to the prejudice of her brother and 

sisters. 



128 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

sisters, who all lived in perfect harmony until this 
unhappy affair happened. 

Such is the account given by Mr. Brown, of 
Amen Corner. A worthy clergyman, however, 
who attended her several times, and who admi- 
nistered to her the last comforts of his function, 
declares, that the small-pox with which she was 
seized, was of the confluent sort ; and that the 
gentleman of the faculty, who attended her, had 
pronounced her irrecoverable some days before 
her death. 

It was, however, the ghost of this person, that 
Parsons declared had taken possession of his girl, 
a child about twelve years old, who lay with the 
deceased in the absence of her supposed husband, 
when he was in the country at a wedding ; and 
then it was, that the knocking was first heard, to 
the great terror of this child, she frequently crying 
out that she might not be taken away. Soon after, 
this woman died, whose apparition was now sup- 
posed to appear to this same child ; and, in answer 
to the question put to her, What was the occasion 
of the first knocking, &c. before she died? an- 
swered, that it was the spirit of her sister, the first 

wife of Mr. K , who was husband to them 

both. 

Having now sufficiently prepared the reader, 
we shall proceed in our narrative. The gentleman 

already 



COCK-LANE GHOST. 129 

already said to have been sent for, attended, and 
found the child in bed ; and, the spirit being at 
hand, several questions were put to it by the fa- 
ther, which, to avoid repetition, we shall relate 
hereafter. The gentleman not-caring to pronounce 
too hastily upon what appeared to him extraordi- 
nary, got some frieuds together, among whom were 
two or three clergymen, about twenty other 
persons, and two negroes, who sat up another 
night. 

They first thoroughly examined the bed, bed- 
clothes, &c. ; and, being satisfied that there was 
no visible appearance of deceit, the child with its 
sister was put into bed, which was found to*shake 
extremely by the gentleman who had placed him- 
self at the foot of it. Among others, the following 
questions were asked — 

Whether her disturbance was occasioned by any 
ill-treatment from Mr. K ?— Yes. 

Whether she was brought to an untimely end 
by poison ? — Yes. 

In what was the poison administered, beer or 
purl ?— Purl. 

How long before her death ? — Three hours. 

Is the person called Carrots, able to give infor- 
mation about the poison ? — Yes. 

Whether she was K 's wife's sister? — Yeso 

Whether she was married to K- — 1 — No. 

Whether 



130 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

Whether any other person than K was 

concerned in the poisoning? — No. 

Whether she could visibly appear to anyone] — 
Yes. 

Whether she would do so ? — Yes. 

Whether she could go out of that house ? — Yes. 

Whether she would follow the child every 
where ? — Yes. 

Whether she was pleased at being asked ques- 
tions ? — Yes. 

Whether it eased her mind? — Yes. (Here a 
mysterious noise, compared to the fluttering of 
wings round the room, was heard. 

How long before her death had she told Carrots 
(her servant) that she was poisoned ? — One hour. 
(Here Carrots, who was admitted to be one of the 
company on Tuesday night, asserted that the de- 
ceased had not told her so, she being at that time 
speechless.) 

How long did Carrots live with her ? — Three or 
four days. (Carrots attested the truth of this.) 

Whether, if the accused should be taken up, he 
-would confess? — Yes. 

Whether she should be at ease in her mind, if 
the man Avas hanged ? — Yes. 

How long it would be before he would be exe- 
cuted ? — Three years. , 

How many clergy men were in the room ? — Three. 

How 



COCK-LANE GHOST. 131 

How many negroes ? — Two. 

Whether she could distinguish the person of any 
one in the room ? — Yes. 

Whether the colour of a watch held up by one of 
the clergymen was white, yellow, blue, or black? — 
Black. (The watch was in a black shagreen case.) 

At what time she would depart in the morning? 
— At four o'clock. 

Accordingly, at this hour the noise removed to 
the Wheat-sheaf, a public-house at the distance of 
a few doors, in the bed-chamber of the landlord 
and landlady, to the great affright and terror of 
them both. Such was the manner of interrogating 
the spirit : the answer was given by knocking or 
scratching. An affirmative was one knock ; a 
negative, two. Displeasure was expressed by 
scratching. 

Nothing more occurred till the following morn- 
ing, when the knocking began about seven o'clock. 
But, notwithstanding some extraordinary answers 
to the several questions proposed, it was still a 
matter of doubt whether the whole was not a piece 
of imposition ; and it was resolved to remove the 
child elsewhere. Accordingly, instead of its being 
carried home, it was conveyed to a house in Crown- 
and-Cushion Court, at the upper end of Cow Lane, 
near Smithfield, where two clergymen, several gen- 
tlemen, and some ladies, assembled in the evening. 

About 



132 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

About eleven o'clock the kuocking began ; when 
a gentleman in the room, speaking angrily to the 
girl, and hinting that he suspected it was some 
trick of her's, the child was uneasy, and cried : 
on which the knocking was heard louder, and much 
faster than before; but no answer could be ob- 
tained to any question while that gentleman staid 
in the room, 

After he was gone, the noise ceased: and no- 
thing was heard till a little after twelve o'clock, 
when the child was seized with a trembling and 
shivering ; in which manner she had always been 
affected, on the departure as well as the approach 
of the ghost. Upon this, one of the company 
asked, whether it would return again, and at what 
time? Answer was made in the usual manner by 
knocks, that it would return again before seven in 
the morning ; and then a noise, like the fluttering 
of wings, was heard; after which all was quiet till 
between six and seven on Friday morning, when 
the knocking began again. 

A little before seven, two clergymen came, when 
the fluttering noise was repeated, which in this 
strange affair was considered as a mark of the spi- 
rit's being pleased. Then several questions, par- 
ticularly one, by a gentlewoman who was an ac- 
quaintance of the deceased, who came out of mere 
curiosity, and had been to see her some time 

before 



COCK-LANE GHOST. 133 

before she died : the question was, How many days 
it was before her death, that this gentlewoman; 
<"ame to see her? The answer given wai three 
knocks, signifying three d;iys ; which was exactly 
right. Another question was, Whether some of 
the then company had not a relation that had 
been buried in the same vault where she lay 1 To 
which it replied by one knock, Yes. They asked, 
severally, if it was their relation ? To all of which, 
except the last, she answered by two knocks, 
meaning No ; but to the last person she gave one 
knock, which was right. These two circumstances 
greatly alarmed all the company. 

Near twenty persons sat up in the room : but it 
was not till about six o'clock in the morning that 
the first alarm was given, which coming spontane- 
ously, as well as suddenly, a good deal struck the 
imagination of the auditors. The scratches were 
compared to that of a cat upon a cane chair. The 
child now appeared to be in a sound sleep, and 
nothing further could be obtained. It had been 
observed, in conversation, by a person who ex- 
pressed himself pretty warmly on the subject, that 
the whole was an imposture, and more to the same 
purpose ; which gave rise to some sharp altercation 
among the company — some believing, and others 
disbelieving the reality of the apparition. This dis- 
pute was no sooner begun, than the spirit was gone ; 
g and 



134 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

and no more knocking and scratching was to be 
heard. 

About seven o'clock the girl seemed to awake 
in a violent fit of crying and tears. Upon being 
asked the occasion, and assured that nothing of 
harm should happen to her, she declared that her 
tears were the effect of her imagination at what 
would become of her daddy, who must needs be 
ruined and undone, if this matter should be sup- 
posed to be an imposture. She was told, that the 
company had looked upon her as in a sound sleep 
when the above dispute happened. To which she 
replied, " Aye, but not so sound but that I could 
hear all you said." 

On the Sunday night following, the. girl lay at a 
house opposite the school-house in Go,ck Lane ; at 
which place a person of distinction, two clergymen, 
and several other persons, were present. Between 
ten and eleven o'clock the knocking began.: the 
principal questions and answers were the same as 
those already mentioned ; but among some new 
ones of little consequence, was the fallowing — 
Will you attend the girl at any place whither she 
may be appointed to be carried by authority? 
Answered in the affirmative. At eleven o'clock, 
eleven distinct knocks were heard; and at twelve, 
when being asked if it was going away, and when 
it would return again, seven knocks were given. 

Accordingly, 



COCK-LANE GHOST. 135 

Accordingly, when St. Sepulchre's clock struck 
seven, on Monday morning, this invisible agent 
knocked the same number of times. Some few 
questions were asked at this meeting, much to the 
same purport as those above inserted, and answered 
in the same manner. Every person was put out 
of the room, who could be supposed to have the 
least connexion with the girl: her hands were 
laid over the bed-clothes, and the bed narrowly 
looked under, &c. but no discovery was made. 

On the night of the 1st of February, many gen- 
tlemen, eminent for their rank and character, were, 
by the invitation of the Reverend Mr. Aldrich, of 
Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the exa* 
mination of the noises supposed to be made by a 
departed spirit for the detection of some enormous 
crime. 

About ten at night, the gentlemen met in the 
chamber; in which the girl supposed to be dis- 
turbed by a spirit had, with proper caution, been 
put to bed'by several ladies. They sat with her 
rather more than an hour; and, hearing nothing, 
went down stairs, when they interrogated the father 
of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any 
knowledge or belief of fraud. 

The supposed spirit had before publicly pro- 
mised, by an affirmative knock, that it would at- 
tend one of the gentlemen into the vault under the 
G 2 church 



136 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

church of St. John, Clerkenwell, where the body 
was deposited ; and give a token of her presence 
there, by a knock upon her coffin : it was, there- 
fore, determined to make this trial of the existence 
or veracity of the supposed spirit. 

While they were inquiring and deliberating, 
they were summoned into the girl's chamber by 
the ladies who remained near her bed, and who 
heard knocks, and scratches. When the gentle- 
men entered, the girl declared that she felt the 
spirit like a mouse upon her back, and was required 
to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, 
though the spirit was very solemnly required to 
manifest its existence, by appearance, by impres- 
sion on the hand or body of any person present, 
by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, no 
evidence of any preternatural power was exhibited. 

The spirit was then very seriously advertised, 
that the person to whom the promise was made, of 
striking the coffin, was then about to visit the 
vault, and that the performance of the promise 
was then claimed. The company, at one o'clock, 
went into the church ; and that gentleman, to 
whom the promise was made, 'went, with one 
more, into the vault. The spirit was very solemnly 
required to perform its promise, but nothing more 
than silence ensued : the person supposed to be 
accused by the spirit then went down, with several ' 

others, 



GOCK-LANE GHOST. 137 

•thers, but no effect was perceived. Upon their 
return, they examined the girl, but could draw no 
confession from her. Between two and three, 
she desired, and was permitted, to go home with 
her father. 

No doubt now remained of the fallacy of this 
spirit. It was supposed that the girl was practised 
in the art of ventriloquism, an art better known 
now than formerly ; but it was soon after disco- 
vered that there was not so much ingenuity in the 
fraud. 

A bed was slung like a hammock, in the mid- 
dle of a room, at a gentleman's house, where 
the girl was sent. The servants were ordered to 
watch her narrowly ; and, about a quarter of an 
hour before bed-time, she was observed to conceal 
something under her clothes. Information of this 
being given to the gentlemen attending, they were 
of opinion, that a connivance at the beginning of 
the scene would be the most likely means of lead- 
ing them to a full discovery of the fact. In the 
morning, about six o'clock, the knockings came, 
and answered to questions as usual, but in. so 
different a sound, that it was very apparent this 
method of operating was a fresh contrivance. 
When the knockings, which continued for near 
half an hour, were over, she was several times 
asked, if she had any wood or other thing in the 
G 3 bed, 



138 COCK-LANE GHOST. 

bed; against which she could strike ? which she 
obstinately denied. Two maid-servants being then 
ordered to take her out of bed, a piece of board 
was found in it, which, as was observed, she had 
conveyed there the night before. 

Soon after, a trial came on before Lord Mans- 
field, in the Court of King's Bench, Guildhall, by 
a special jury, on an indictment against Richard 
Parsons, and Elizabeth his wife, Mary Eraser, a 
clergyman, and a reputable tradesman, for a con- 
spiracy in the Cock-Lane ghost affair, to injure 
the character, &c. of Mr. William Kent; when 
they were all found guilty. The trial lasted 
about twelve hours. 



THE 

HYPOCHONDRIAC GENTLEMAN 

AND 

THE JACK- ASS. 

A SOBER gentleman of very great respectability, 
who was low-spirited and hypochondriac to a 
degree, was at times so fanciful, that almost every 
rustling noise he heard was taken for an appa- 
rition or hobgoblin. i 

It 



HYPOCHONDRIAC GENTLEMAN, &C. 139 

II happened that he was abroad at a friend's 
house later than ordinary one night; but, it 
being moon light, and having a servant with him, 
he seemed to be easy, and was observed to be 
cheerful, and even merry, with a great deal more 
of good-humour than had been observed in him 
for some time before. 

He knew his way perfectly well, for it was 
within three miles of the town where he lived, and 
he was very well mounted : but, though the moon 
was up, an accident, which a little disordered him, 
was, that a very thick black cloud appeared to 
him to come suddenly over his head, which made 
it very dark ; and, to add to his discomfort, it 
began to rain violently. 

Upon this he resolved to ride for it, having not 
above two miles to the town; so, clapping spurs 
to his horse, he galloped away. His man (whose 
name was Jervais), not being so well mounted, was 
a considerable way behind. The darkness of the 
night, and the rain together, put him a little out 
of humour, and made him ride rather harder than 
his usual pace. 

In his way home, there was a small river for him 
to pass ; but there was a good bridge over it, well 
walled on both sides, so that there was no more 
danger than in any other place. The gentleman 
kept on at a good pace, and was rather more than 
G 4 half 



140 HYPOCHONDRIAC GENTLEMAN, 

half over the bridge, when his horse stopped all 
on a sudden, and would not go on. He saw no- 
thing at first, and was therefore not much discom- 
posed at it, but spurred his horse to go forward. 
The horse then went two or three steps ; then 
stopped again, snorted, and started; then at- 
tempted to turn short back. The gentleman, in 
endeavouring to see what frightened the horse, 
saw two broad staring eyes looking him full in the 
face. 

He was now most heartily frightened ; but, by 
this time, he heard his man Jervais coming up. 
When he came near, the first thing he heard his 
master say, was, " Bless me, it is the devil I" at 
which exclamation the man was almost as much 
frightened as his master. However, the gentleman, 
a little encouraged to hear his man so near him, 
pressed his horse once more to go forward, and 
called aloud to his servant to follow ;< but Jervais, 
being much frightened, made no haste. At length, 
with great difficulty, he got over the bridge, and 
passed by the creature with the broad staring 
eyes, which he positively affirmed was the devil. 

Though Jervais was near enough, yet, fearing 
his master would order him to go before, he kept 
as far off as he possibly could. When his master 
called, he answered, but proceeded very slowly, 
till he observed his master had gone past; when, 

beins 



AND JACK-ASS. 141 

being obliged to follow, he went on very softly 
till he came to the bridge, where he plainly saw 
what it was his master's horse snorted at, which 
the reader will be made acquainted with pre- 
sently. 

The gentleman, having now past the difficulty, 
galloped home as fast as possible, and got into the 
house long before Jervais could get up with him. 
As soon as he alighted, he swooned away, such an 
effect the fright had on him; and with much 
difficulty they brought him to himself. When he 
recovered, he told the family a formal story, that 
at such a bridge he met with the devil, who was 
standing at the left-hand corner of the wall, and 
stared him full in the face ; and he so fully expa- 
tiated on this subject, that all believed, at least, 
he had met with an apparition. 

Jervais soon after came home, and went directly 
to the stable to take care of the horses ; where he 
told his story in the following manner to his fellow- 
servants : " Finding," says he, " that my master was 
in danger of being thrown over the bridge, I fear- 
lessly rode near him ; when, to my very great sur- 
prise, 1 found that my master's horse (which was 
young and skittish) was frightened at an ass, which 
stood grazing near the corner of the wall." " Are 
you sure it was an ass, Jervais %" asked the ser- 
vants, staring one at another, half frightened 
g 5 themselves^ 



142 HYPOCHONDRIAC GENTLEMAN, &C. 

themselves. " Are you quite sure of it?" " Yes/' 
replied the man; " for, as soon as my master had 
got by, I rode up to it; and, on discovering the 
cause of our fear, I thrashed it with my stick, on 
which it fell a braying ; and I rode home after my 
master." " Why, Jervais," said the servants, " your 
master believes it was the devil." " I am sorry," 
said the man, " my master should have been so 
much deceived ; but, really, it was nothing more 
nor less than an ass." 

The story now got vent ; and the first part of it 
flew all over the town, that Mr. (mention- 
ing his name) had seen the devil, and was almost 
frightened to death. 

Shortly after, the man's tale was circulated, that 

Mr. 's strange and wonderful apparition of 

the devil, was nothing more than an ass ; which 
raised the laugh sufficiently, against the master. 

However, poor Jervais lost his place for gossip- 
ing; and his master insists upon it to this day, that 
it was the devil, and that he knew him by his 
broad eyes and cloven feet. Such is the power of 
imagination over the weak and credulous ! 



143 



CASTLE APPARITION. 

Translated by the Rev. Weeden Butler, Jun.from 
a Monkish Manuscript. 

In the vicinity of Chamberry, a town in Savoy, 
stood the ancient mansion of the Albertini : round 
it were several little buildings, in which were de- 
posited the cattle, poultry, &c. &c. belonging to 
the family. A young gentleman, by name Barba- 
rosse, came to the chateau on a visit for a few 
days ; he was cordially received, being of a pleasing 
lively disposition ; and an elegant room in the east 
wing was prepared for his accommodation. 

The family, and their young guests, spent the 
day very agreeably ; and, after supper, they sat 
round a comfortable large fire, and diverted them- 
selves with songs and stories: the former, as is 
generally the case, were some of the sprightly, 
some of the tender and pathetic kind ; but the lat- 
ter were, for the most part, of the melancholy cast, 
particularly those which related to preternatural 
occurrences. The social party separated at half 
past twelve o'clock ; and Barbarosse retired to his 
chamber. It was a handsome room on the first 
floor, Having three doors; two of these belonged 
g' © te 



144 CASTLE APPARITION. 

to two little closets, one on the right that over- 
looked a farmyard, and another more to the left 
that presented a view through the window of a 
large, romantic wood ; the third door was that by 
which he entered his room, after traversing a long 
passage. Our youth had visited this room in the 
morning, and looked out of the window to enjoy 
the prospect for a, great while. 

As he entered this apartment, with his mind 
full of the diversion just left, he set his candle 
down upon the table, and looked about him. 
There was an excellent fire in the chimney, with 
an iron grating before it, to prevent accidents; a 
large elbow-chair stood near it; and, not being at 
all sleepy, he sat doAvn reflecting on the amuse- 
ments of the day, and endeavoured to remember 
the tales he had heard. In some he thought he 
perceived strong traits of truth ; and in others he 
discovered palpable fiction and absurdity* Whilst 
he was deliberating on the various incidents, the 
heavy watch-bell tolled two; but Barbarosse did 
not attend to it, being deeply engaged in his con- 
templations. He was suddenly awakened from his 
reveries by an uncommon rustling sound issuing 
from the closet on the right hand ; and, listening 
attentively, he heard distinct taps upon the floor 
at short intervals. 

Alarmed at the circumstance, he walked slowly 

to 



GASTLE APPARITION. 145 

to his bed-side, and drew forth -his pocket-pistols 
from under the pillow ; these he carefully placed 
upon the table, and resumed the elbow-chair. All 
was again still as death; and nought but the 
winds, which whistled round the watch-tower and 
the adjacent buildings, could be heard. 

Barbarosse looked towards the door of the closet, 
which he then, and not till then, perceived was not 
shut, but found that it hung upon the jar ; imme- 
diately a furious blast forced it wide open ; the 
taper burnt blue, and the fire seemed almost 
extinct. 

Barbarosse arose, put forth a silent hasty ejacu- 
lation of prayer, and sat down again ; again he 
heard the noise I He started up, seized the pistols, 
and stood motionless; whilst large cold drops of 
dew hung upon his face. Still his heart continued 
firm, and he grew more composed, when the rust- 
ling taps were renewed ! Barbarosse desperately 
invoked the protection of Heaven, cocked one 
of the pistols, and was about to rush into the 
portentous apartment, when the noise increased 
and drew nearer : a loud peal of thunder,, that 
seemed to rend the firmament, shook violently the 
solid battlements of the watch-tower; the deep- 
toned bell tolled three, and its hollow sound long 
vibrated on the ear of Barbarosse with fainter and 
fainter murmurs; when a tremendous cry thrilled 

him 



146 CASTLE APFARITION. 

him with terror and dismay ; and, lo ! the long- 
dreaded spectre stalked into the middle of the 
room: and Barharosse, overcome with surprise 
and astonishment at the unexpected apparition, 
sunk down convulsed* in his chair. 

The phantom was armed de cap en pied, and 
clad in a black garment. On his crest a black 
plume waved majestically; and, instead of a glove 
or any other sort of lady's favour, he wore a blood- 
red token. He bore no weapon of offence in his 
hand ; but a gloomy shield, made of the feathers of 
some kind of bird, was cast over each shoulder. 
He "was booted and spurred ; and, looking upon 
Barbarosse with ardent eyes, raised his feathery 
arms, and struck them vehemently against his 
sides, making at the same time the most vociferous 
noise ! 

Then it Avas, that Barbarosse found he had 
not shut down the window in the morning; from 
which neglect it happened, that a black game-cock 
had flown into the closet, and created all this in- 
expressible confusion. 

* Lest any of the faculty should wish, ineffectually, to be 
informed what species of convulsions affected Barbarosse, I 
think it proper (observes the translator) to satisfy their truly 
laudable curiosity by anticipation, and to assure them, fois 
iVhomme cfhonneur, that this disorder was a convulsion of 
laughter. 



147 



THE TWINS, 

OR 

GHOST OF THE FIELD. 



1 E who delight in old traditions, 
And love to talk of apparitions, 
Whose chairs around are closely join'd, 
While no one dares to look behind, 
Thinking there's some hobgoblin near, 
Ready to whisper in his ear ; 
Oh ! listen, while I lay before ye 
My well-authenticated story. 

Two twins, of understanding good, 
Together liv'd, as brothers should : 
This was named Thomas, that was Johr? 
But all things else they had as one. 
At length, by industry in trade, 
They had a pretty fortune made, 
And had, like others in the city, 
A country cottage very pretty ; 
Where they amused their leisure hours, 
In innocence, with plants and flowers, 
Till fate had cut Tom's thread across. 
And left poor John to wail his loss. 



John 



148 THE TWINS. 

John left alone, when now some weeks 
Had wip'd the tears from off his cheeks, 
To muse within himself began 
On what should be his future plan : 
" Ye woods, ye fields, my sweet domain, 
When shall I see your face again 1 
When shall I pass the vacant hours, 
Rejoicing in my woodbine bowers ; 
To smoke my pipe, and sing my song ; 
Regardless how they pass along? 
When take my fill of pastime there, 
In sweet forgetfulness of care V 

He said ; and, on his purpose bent, 
Soon to his country cottage went, 
Swill'd home-brew'd ale and gooseberry fool : 
John never ate or drank by rule. 

His arms were folded now to rest, 
The night-mare sat upon his breast ; 
From right to left, and left to right, 
He turn'd and toss'd, throughout the night : 
A thousand fears disturbed his head, 
And phantoms danced around his bed ; 
His lab'ring stomach, though he slept, 
The fancy wide awake had kept : 
His brother's ghost approach'd his side, 
And thus in feeble accents cried — 
" Be not alarm'd, my brother (tear, 
To see your buried partner here ; 

I come 



THE TWINS. 14& 

come to tell you where to find 
A treasure, which 1 left behind : 
I had not time to let you know it, 
But follow me, and now I'll shew it." 
John trembled at the awful sight, 
But hopes of gain suppress'd his fright ; 
Oft will the parching thirst of gold, 
Make even errant cowards bold. 

John, rising up without delay, 
Went where the spectre led the way ; 
Which, after many turnings past, 
Stopp'd in an open field at last, 
Where late the hind had sow'd his grain, 
And made the whole a level plain. 
The spectre pointed to the spot, 
Where he had hid the golden pot: 
" Deep in the earth," says he, " 'tis laid." 
But John, alas ! had got no spade ; 
And, as the night was pretty dark, 
He felt around him for a mark, 
That he might know again the place, 
Soon as Aurora shew'd her face. 
In vain he stoop'd and felt around, 
No stick or stone was to be found ; 
But nature now, before oppress'd, 
By change of posture sore distress'd, 
Gave an alarming crack ; a hint 
Of what, as sure as stick or flint, 

To-morrow 



150 THE TWINS. 

To-morrow morn the place would tell, 

If he had either sight or smell. 

This done, he rose to go to bed ; 

He wak'd, how ehang'd ! the night-mare fled ; 

The ghost was vanish'd from his sight, 

And John himself in piteous plight. 



DOUBLE MISTAKE, 

OR 

COLLEGE GHOST. 

.Mr. Samuel Foote, the celebrated comedian, 
played the following trick upon Doctor Gower, 
w r ho was then provost of his college, a man of 
considerable learning, but rather of a grave pe- 
dantic turn of mind. 

The church belonging to the college fronted the 
side of a lane, where cattle were sometimes turned 
out to graze during the night ; and from the steeple 
hung the bell-rope, very low in the middle of the 
outside porch. Foote saw in this an object likely 
to produce some fun, and immediately set about 
to accomplish his purpose. He accordingly, one 
night, slily tied a wisp of hay to the rope, as a bait 
for the cows in their peregrination to the grazing 

ground. 



DOUBLE MISTAKE. 151 

ground. The scheme succeeded to his wish. One 
of the cows soon after, smelling the hay as she 
passed by the church-door, instantly seized on it, 
and, by tugging at the rope, made the bell ring, 
to the astonishment of the sexton and the whole 
parish. 

This happened several nights successively ; and 
the incident gave rise to various reports — such as, 
not only that the church was haunted by evil spirits, 
but that several spectres were seen walking about 
the church-yard, in all those hideous and frightful 
shapes, which fear, ignorance, and fancy, usually 
suggest on such occasions. 

An event of this kind, however, was to be ex- 
plored, for the honour of philosophy, as well as 
for the quiet of the parish. Accordingly, the 
Doctor and the sexton agreed to sit up one night, 
and, on the first alarm, to run out, and drag the 
culprit to condign punishment. Their plan being 
arranged, they waited with the utmost impatience 
for the appointed signal : at last, the bell began 
to sound its usual alarm, and they both sallied out 
in the dark, determined on making a discovery. 

The sexton was the first in the attack : he seized 
the cow by the tail, and cried out it was a gentle- 
man commoner, as he had him by the tail of his 
gown • while the Doctor, who had caught the cow 
by the horns at the same time, immediately replied, 

'.' No, 



152 DOUBLE MISTAKE. 

" No, no, you blockhead, 'tis the postman ; and 
here I have hold of the rascal by his blowing- 
horn." Lights however were immediately brought, 
when the character of the real offender was disco- 
vered, and the laugh of the whole town was turned 
upon the Doctor. 



THE 

HAUNTED CASTLE. 

1 he castle of Ardivillers, near Breteuil, was re- 
ported to be haunted by evil spirits. Dreadful 
noises were heard ; and flames were seen, by night, 
to issue from various apertures. The farmer who 
was entrusted with the care of the house, in the 
absence of its "owner, the President d'Ardivillers, 
could alone live there. The spirit seemed to 
respect him; but any person who ventured to 
take up a night's lodging in the castle was sure to 
bear the marks of his audacity. 

Superstition is catching. The peasants in the 
neighbourhood at length began to see strange 
sights. Sometimes a dozen of ghosts would ap- 
pear in the air above the castle dancing. At other 
times, a number of presidents and counsellors, in 
red robes, appeared in the adjacent meadow. 

There 



HAUNTED CASTLE. 153 

There they sat in judgment on a gentleman of the 
country, who had been beheaded for some crime 
an hundred years before. In short, many had 
seen, and all had heard, the wonders of the castle 
of Ardivillers. 

This affair had continued four or five years, to 
the great loss of the President, who had been 
obliged to let the estate to the farmer at a very 
low rent. At length, suspecting some artifice, he 
resolved to visit and inspect the castle himself. 

Taking with him two gentlemen, his friends, they 
determined to pass the night in the same apart- 
ment; and if any noise or apparition disturbed 
them, to discharge their pistols at either ghost or 
sound. As spirits know all things, they were pro- 
bably aware of these preparations, and not one 
appeared. But, in the chamber just above, a 
dreadful rattling of chains was heard ; and the wife 
and children of the farmer ran to assist their lord. 
They threw themselves on their knees, begging 
that he would not visit that terrible room. " My 
lord," said they, " what can human force effect 
against people of t'other world ? Monsieur de 
Ficancout attempted the same enterprise years 
ago, and he returned with a dislocated arm. M. 
D'Urselles tried too; he was overwhelmed with 
bundles of hay, and was ill for a long time after." 
In short, so many attempts were mentioned, that 

the 



154 HAUNTED CASTLE. 

the President's friends advised him to abandon the 
design. 

But still they determined to encounter the 
danger. Proceeding up stairs to an extensive 
room, each having a candle in one hand, and a 
pistol in the other, they found it full of thick 
smoke, which increased more and more from. some 
flames that were visible. Soon after, the ghost or 
spirit faintly appeared in the middle : he seemed 
quite black, and was amusing himself with cutting 
capers ; but another eruption of flame and smoke 
hid him from their view. He had horns and a long 
tail; and was, in truth, a dreadful object. 

One of the gentlemen found his courage rather 
fail. " This is certainly supernatural," said he ; 
**. let us retire." The other, endued with more 
boldness, asserted that the smoke was that of gun- 
powder, which is no supernatural composition ; 
" and if this same spirit," added he, " knew his 
own nature and trade, he should have extinguished 
our candles." 

With these words, he jumped amidst the smoke 
and flames, and pursued the spectre. He soon dis- 
charged the pistol at his back, and hit him exactly 
in the middle; but was himself seized with fear, 
when the spirit, far from falling, turned round and 
rushed upon him. Soon recovering himself, he 
resolved to grasp the ghost, to discover if it were 

indeed 



HAUNTED CASTLE. 155 

indeed aerial and impassable. Mr. Spectre, dis- 
ordered by this new manoeuvre, rushed to the 
tower, and descended a small staircase. 

The gentleman ran after, and, never losing 
sight of him, passed several courts and gardens, 
still turning as the spirit winded, till at length they 
entered into an open barn. Here the pursuer, 
certain, as he thought, of his prey, shut the door, 
but when he turned round, what was his amaze- 
ment, to see the spirit totally disappear. 

In great confusion, he called to the servants for 
more lights. On examining the spot of the spirit's 
disappearance, he found a trap-door; upon raising 
which, several mattresses appeared, to break the 
fall of any headlong adventurer. Therefore, de- 
scending, he found the spirit to be no other than 
the farmer himself. His dress, of a complete 
bull's hide, had secured him from the pistol-shot : 
and the horns and tail were not diabolic, but mere 
natural appendages of the original. The rogue 
confessed his tricks, and was pardoned, on paying 
the arrears due for five years, at the old rent of 
the land. 



156 



HAMMERSMITH GHOST 



In the year 1804, the inhabitants of Hammersmith 
were much alarmed by a nocturnal appearance ; 
whicii, for a considerable time, eluded detection 
or discovery. In the course of this unfortunate 
affair, two innocent persons met with an untimely 
death ; and as this transaction engaged the atten- 
tion of the public in a high degree, Ave shall fully 
relate the particulars of it. 

An unknown person made it his diversion to 
alarm the inhabitants, in January 1 804, by assuming 
the figure of a spectre. This sham ghost has cer- 
tainly much to answer for. One poor woman, 
who was far advanced in her pregnancy of a se- 
cond child, was so much shocked, that she took 
to her bed, and survived only two days. She had. 
been crossing near the church-yard about ten 
o'clock at night, when she beheld something, as 
she described, rise from the tomb-stones. The 
figure was very tall, and very white ! She at- 
tempted to run, but the supposed ghost soon over- 
took her, and, pressing her in his arms, she fainted ; 
in which situation she remained some hours, till 

discovered 



HAMMERSMITH GHOST. 157 

discovered by the neighbours, who kindly led her 
home, when she took to her bed, from which, alas ! 
she never rose. A waggoner belonging to Mr. 
Russell was also so alarmed, while driving a team 
of eight horses, which had sixteen passengers at 
the time, that he took to his heels, and left the 
waggon, horses, and passengers, in the greatest 
danger. Neither man, woman, or child, would 
pass that way for some time ; and the report was, 
that it was the apparition of a man who had cut his 
throat in that neighbourhood above a year before. 
Several lay in wait different nights for the ghost ; 
but there were so many bye-lanes, and paths lead- 
ing to Hammersmith, that he was always sure of 
being in that which was unguarded, and every 
night played off his tricks, to the terror of the 
passengers. 

One Francis Smith, doubtless incensed at the 
unknown person who was in the habit of assuming 
the supernatural character, and thus frightening 
the superstitious inhabitants of the village, rashly 
determined on watching for, and -shooting the 
ghost; when, unfortunately, in Black-Lion Lane, he 
shot a poor innocent man, Thomas Millwood, a 
bricklayer, who was in a white dress, the usual 
habiliment of his occupation. This rash act, hav- 
ing been judged wilful murder by the coroner's 
inquest, Smith was accordingly committed to gaol, 
h and 



J58 HAMMERSMITH GHOST. 

and took his trial at the ensuing sessions at the 
Old Bailey, January 13th, 1804. The jury at first 
found him guilty of manslaughter ; but the crime 
being deemed murder in the eye of the law, the 
judge could only receive a verdict of Guilty, or 
acquittal. He was theu found guilty, and received 
sentence of death, but was afterwards pardoned 
on condition of being imprisoned one year. 



FRIGHTENED CARRIER. 

In October 1813, a little before midnight, as one 
of the carriers between Nottingham and Lough- 
borough, was passing near the village of Remn- 
stone, he was extremely surprised at meeting what 
he thought was a funeral procession, marching in a 
most solemn and steady order in the centre of the 
road. The carrier, with a becoming propriety and 
decorum, drew his cart to the side of the road, 
that the mournful cavalcade might pass without 
any interruption. Very active inquiry was imme- 
diately afterwards made in the neighbourhood, but 
not the least knowledge could be obtained as to 
where this solemn group had come from, or whither 
it was going; it was therefore concluded, that 

some 



FRIGHTENED CARRIER. 159 

souie ghostly apparition or other had thought pro- 
per to be then exercising its nocturnal avocation. 
Some days afterwards it was found out, that a per- 
son, who lived in the neighbouring village, had 
been endeavouring to construct a carriage upon 
such a principle as to go without horses ; and, 
wishing to make his experiment as secret as pos- 
sible, had chosen that dead hour of the night, 
for trying his apparatus on the turnpike road ; but 
unluckily meeting with the carrier, he became 
alarmed for fear of an exposure, and therefore 
threw a large sheet over the machinery, and 
passed the cart as silently as possible, to avoid 
being detected. 



CLUB-ROOM GHOST. 

At a town in the west of England, was held a 
club of twenty-four persons, which assembled once 
a week, to drink punch, smoke tobacco, and talk 
politics. Like Rubens's Academy^it Antwerp, each 
member had his peculiar chair, and the president's 
was more exalted than the rest. One of the mem- 
bers had been in a dying state for some lime ; 
H 2 of 



160 CLUB-ROOM GHOST. 

of course, his chair, while he was absent, remained 
vacant. 

The club being met on their usual night, inqui- 
ries were naturally made after their associate. As 
he lived in the adjoining house, a particular friend 
went himself to inquire for him, and returned with 
the dismal tidings, that he could not possibly sur- 
vive the night. This threw a gloom on the com- 
pany, and all efforts to turn the conversation from 
the sad subject before them were ineffectual. 

About midnight (the time, by long prescription, 
appropriated for the walking of spectres), the door 
opened ; and the form, in white, of the dying, or 
rather of the dead man, walked into the room, 
and took his seat in the accustomed chair : there 
he remained in silence, and in silence was he gazed 
at. The apparition continued a sufficient time in 
the chair to convince all present of the reality of 
the vision: at length, he arose, and stalked towards 
the door, which he opened as if living — went out, 
and then shut the door after him. After a long 
pause, some one, at last, had the resolution to say, 
" If only one of us had seen this, he would not 
have been believed ; but it is impossible that so 
many persons can be deceived." 

The company, by degrees, recovered their 
speech ; and the whole conversation, as may be 
imagined, was upon the dreadful object which had 

engaged 



CLUB-ROOM GHOST. 161 

engaged their attention. They broke up, and went 
home. In the morning, inquiry was made after 
their sick friend; it was answered by an account 
of his death, which happened nearly at the time of 
his appearing in the club. There could be little 
doubt before, but now nothing could be more cer- 
tain, than the reality of the apparition, which had 
been seen by so many persons together. 

It is needless to say, that such a story spread 
over the country, and found credit, even from infi- 
dels ; for, in this case, all reasoning became super- 
fluous, when opposed to a plain fact, attested by 
three-and-twenty witnesses. To assert the doc- 
trine of the fixed laws of nature, was ridiculous, 
when there were so many people of credit to prove 
that they might be uufixed. Years rolled on ; the 
story ceased to engage attention, and it was for- 
gotten, unless when occasionally produced to 
silence an unbeliever. 

One of the club was an apothecary. In the 
course of his practice, he was called to an old wo- 
man, whose profession was attending on sick per- 
sons. She told him, that she could leave the world 
with a quiet conscience, but for one thing which lay 

on her mind. " Do not you remember Mr. ■ , 

whose ghost has been so much talked of? I was 

his nurse. The night he died, I left the room for 

something that was wanted. I am sure I had not 

H 3 been 



162 CLUB-KOOM GHOST. * 

been absent long ; but, at my return, I found the 
bed without my patient. He was delirious.; and I 
feared that he had thrown himself out of the win- 
dow. I was so frightened that I had no power to 
stir ; but, after some time, to my great astonish- 
ment, he entered the room shivering, and his 
teeth chartering — laid down on the bed, and 
died. Considering myself as the cause of his 
death, I kept this a secret, for fear of what might 
be done to me. Though I could contradict all 
the story of the ghost, I dared not do it. I 
knew, by what had happened, that it was he 
himself who had been in the club-room (perhaps 
recollecting, in his delirium, that it was ' the 
night of meeting) : but I hope God and the 
poor gentleman's friends will forgive me, and then 
I shall die contented." 



LUNATIC APPARITION; 

Jlhe celebrated historian De Thou had a very 
singular adventure at Saumer, in the year 1598. 
One night, having retired to rest, very much 
fatigued, while he was enjoying a sound sleep, he 
felt a very extraordinary weight upon his feet, 

which 



LUNATIC APPARITION. 163 

which, having made him turn suddenly, fell down 
and awakened him. At first he imagined that it 
had been only, a dream: but, hearing soon after 
some noise in the chamber, he drew aside the cur- 
tains, and saw, by the help of the moon (which at 
that time shone very bright), a large white figure 
walking up and down ; and, at the same time, ob- 
served upon a chair some rags, which he thought 
belonged to thieves who had come to rob him. 
The figure then approaching his bed, he had 
the courage to ask it what -it was. " I am," 
said it, " the Queen of Heaven." Had such a 
figure appeared to any credulous ignorant man 
in the dead of night, and made such a speech, 
would he not have trembled with fear, and have 
frightened the whole neighbourhood with a mar- 
vellous description of it 1 But De Thou had too 
much understanding to be so imposed upon. 
Upon hearing the words which dropped from the 
figure, he immediately concluded that it was some 
mad woman, got up, called his servants, and or- 
dered them to turn her out of doors ; after which 
he returned to bed, and fell asleep. Next morning 
he found that he had not been deceived in his con- 
jecture ; and that, having forgot to shut his door, 
this female figure had escaped from her keepers, 
and entered his apartment. The brave Schcfm- 
berg, to whom De Thou related this adventure, 
H 4 some 



164 LUNATIC APPARITION. 

some days after, confessed, that in such a case he 
should not have shewn so much courage. The 
King also, who was informed of it by Schomberg, 
made the same acknowledgment. 



SUPPOSED 

SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCE. 

Oome few years since, before ghosts and spectres 
were commonly introduced among us by means of 
the pantomimes and novels of the day, a gentleman 
of a philosophical turn of mind, who was hardy 
enough to deny the existence of any thing super- 
natural, happened to pay a visit at an old house in 
Gloucestershire, whose unfortunate owner had 
just become a bankrupt, with a view to otFer such 
assistance and consolation as he could bestow: 
when, in one rainy dull evening in the month of 
March, the family being seated by the kitchen 
lire-side, the conversation turned on supernatural 
appearances. The philosopher was endeavouring 
to convince his auditors of the folly and absurdity 
of such opinions, with rather an unbecoming levity, 
when the wife left the party and went up stairs ; 
but had hardly quitted the kitchen three minutes, 
before a dreadful noise was heard, mingled with 

horrid 



SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCE. 165 

horrid screams. The poor maid changed counte- 
nance, and her red hair stood erect, in every di- 
rection ; the husband trembled in his chair; and 
the philosopher began to look serious. At last, 
the husband rose from his seat, and accended the 
stairs in search of his wife, when a second dreadful 
scream was heard : the maid mustered resolution 
to follow her master, and a third scream ensued. 
The philosopher, who was not quite at ease, now 
thought it high time for him to set out in search 
of a cause : when, arriving at the landing-place, 
he found the maid in a fit ; the master lying flat, 
with his face upon the floor, which was stained 
with blood ; and, on advancing a little farther, the 
mistress in nearly the same condition. To the 
latter the philosopher paid immediate attention ; 
and, finding she had only swooned away, brought 
her in his arms down stairs, and placed her on the 
floor of the kitchen. The pump was at hand, and 
he had the presence of mind to run to it to get 
some water in a glass; but what was his astonish- 
ment, when he found that he pumped only copious 
streams of blood! which extraordinary appear- 
ance, joined to the other circumstances, made the 
unbeliever tremble in every limb : a sudden per- 
spiration overspread the surface of his skin ; and 
the supernatural possessed his imagination in all its 
true colours of dread and horror. Again and 
H 5 again^ 



166 SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCE. 

again he repeated his efforts ■ and, again and 
again, threw away the loathsome contents of the 
glass. 

Had the story stopped here, Avhat would not 
superstition have made of it? But the philosopher, 
who was still pumping, now found the water grew 
paler; and, at last, pure water filled the vessel. 
Overjoyed at this observation, he threw the limpid 
stream in the face of the mistress, whose recovery 
was assisted by the appearance of her husband and 
Betty. 

The mystery, when explained, turned out to be 
simply this — The good housewife, when she knew 
that a docket had been struck against her hus- 
band, had taken care to conceal some of her choice 
cherry brandy, from the rapacious gripe of the 
messenger to the Commissioners of Bankrupts, on 
some shelves in a closet up stairs, which also 
contained, agreeably to the ancient architecture 
of the building, the trunk of the pump below; 
and, in trying to move the jars, to get at a drop for 
the party at the kitchen fire, the shelf gave way 
with a tremendous crash ; the jars were broken into 
an hundred pieces ; the rich juice descended in 
torrents down the trunk of the pump, and filled, 
with its ruby current, the sucker beneath; and 
this was the self-same fluid which the philosopher, 
in his fright, had so madly thrown away. The 

wife 



SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCE. 167 

wife had swooned at the accident ; the husband, 
in his haste, had fallen on his nose, which ran with 
blood ; and the maid"s legs, in her hurry, coming 
in contact with her fallen master's ribs, she, like 
" vaulting ambition," overleaped herself, and fell 
on the other side. 

Often has this story been told, by one who knew 
the philosopher, with great effect, till the last act, 
or denouement; when disappointment was mostly 
visible in the looks of his auditors, at finding there 
was actually nothing supernatural in the affair, 
and no ghost. 



APPARITION INVESTIGATED. 

In a village in one of the midland counties of 
Scotland, lived a widow, distinguished among her 
neighbours for decency of manners, integrity, and 
respect for religion. She affirmed that, for seve- 
ral nights together, she had heard a supernatural 
voice exclaiming aloud, Murder! Murder! This 
was immediately reported through the neighbour- 
hood : all were alarmed, and looked around them 
with solicitude for the detection of the murder 
which they supposed to have been committed; 
H 6 and 



168 APPARITION INVESTIGATED. 

aud it was not long till a discovery seemed actu- 
ally to be made. It was reported, that a gentle- 
man, who had relations at no great distance, and 
had been residing in the West Indies, had lately 
arrived with a considerable fortune ; that he had 
lodged at an inn about three miles off; and that 
he had afterwards been seen entering a house in 
the village where the widow lived, from which he 
had never returned. It was next affirmed, that a 
tradesman, passing the church-yard about twelve 
at midnight, had seen four men carry a dead 
corpse into that cemetery. 

These three facts being joined together, seemed 
perfectly to agree, and to confirm one another; 
and all believed some horrible murder had been 
committed. The relations of the gentleman 
thought they were called upon to make inquiry 
into the truth of these allegations : they accord- 
ingly came first to the church-yard, where, in 
company with the sexton, they examined all the 
graves with great care, in order to discover whe- 
ther any of them had lately been dug, or had the 
appearance of containing more than one coffin. 
But this search was to no purpose, for no altera- 
tion had been made upon the graves. It was 
next reported, that the murdered man had been 
buried in a plantation about a mile distant from 
the village. As the alarm was now very general, 

a number. 



APPARITION INVESTIGATED. 169 

a number of the inhabitants proposed, of their 
own accord, to explore it. They accordingly 
spread themselves over the wood, and searched 
it with care ; but no grave, or new-dug earth, was 
found. 

The matter did not rest here. The person 
who was said to have seen four men carry a dead 
corpse into the church-yard at midnight, was 
summoned to appear before a meeting of the 
justices of the peace. Upon examination, he de- 
nied any knowledge of the affair; but referred 
the court to another person, from whom he had 
received his information. This person was exa- 
mined, and the result was the same as the former. 
In short, one person had heard it from another, 
who had received it from a third, who had heard 
it from a fourth ; but it had received a little em- 
bellishment from every person who repeated it : 
it turned out to be the same with Smollett's story 
of the three black crows, which somebody was 
said to have vomited. 

Upon inquiry at the inn, where it was said the 
West-India gentleman had lodged, no such gentle- 
man had been seen there ; and it was found after- 
wards, he had never left the West Indies. 

Still, however, the veracity of the widow was 
not disputed ; and some dark and secret transac- 
tion was suspected. But the whole affair was at 

length 



170 APPARITION INVESTIGATED. 

length explained, by discovering that she was 
somewhat deranged by melancholy ; and the cries 
which she at first imagined she had heard, were 
afterwards imitated by some roguish person, who 
was highly amused with spreading terror among 
the credulous. 



BENIGHTED TRAVELLER, 

AND 

HAUNTED ROOM. 

A gentleman was benighted, while travelling 
alone, in a remote part of the highlands of Scot- 
land, and was compelled to ask shelter for the 
evening at a small lonely hut. When he was con- 
ducted to his bed-room, the landlady observed, 
with mysterious reluctance, that he would find 
the window very insecure. On examination, part 
of the wall appeared to have been broken down, 
to enlarge the opening. 

After some inquiry, he Mas told, that a pedlar, 
who had lodged in the room a short time before, 
had committed suicide, and was found hanging 
behind the door in the morning. According to 

the 



BENIGHTED TRAVELLER. 171 

the superstition of the country, it was deemed 
improper to remove the body through the door 
of the house; and to convey it through the win- 
dow was impossible, without removing part of 
the wall. Some hints were dropped, that the 
room had been subsequently haunted by the poor 
man's spirit. 

The gentleman laid his arms, properly pre- 
pared against intrusion of any kind, by the bed- 
side, and retired to rest, not without some de- 
gree of apprehension. He was visited, in a 
dream, by a frightful apparition ; and, awaking in 
agony, found himself sitting up in bed, with a 
pistol grasped in his right hand. On casting a 
fearful glance round the room, he discovered, by 
the moonlight, a corpse, dressed in a shroud, 
reared erect against the wall, close by the win- 
dow. With much difficulty, he summoned up 
resolution to approach the dismal object, the 
features of which, and the minutest parts of its 
funereal apparel, he perceived distinctly : he 
passed one hand over it felt nothing, and stag- 
gered back to the bed. After a long interval, 
and much reasoning with himself, he renewed his 
investigation, and at length discovered that the 
object of his terror was produced by the moon- 
beams forming a long bright image through the 
broken window, on which his fancy, impressed by 

3ii& 



172 BENIGHTED TRAVELLER. 

his dream, had pictured, with mischievous accu- 
racy, the lineaments of a body prepared for in- 
terment. Powerful associations of terror, in this 
instance, had excited the recollected images with 
uncommon force and effect. 



HAUNTED BEACH, 

OR 

Power of Conscience on a Murderer. 

BY MRS. ROBINSON, 

U pon a lonely desert beach, 

Where the white foam was scatter'd, 
A little shed uprear'd its head, 

Though lofty barks were shatter'd. 
The sea-weeds gath'ring near the door, 

A sombre path display'd ; 
And, all around, the deaf ning roar 
Re-echo'd on the chalky shore, 

By the green billows made. 

Above, a jutting cliff was seen, 
Where sea-birds hover'd craving; 

And, all around, the craggs were bound 
With weeds — for ever waving. 

And 



HAUNTED BEACH. 173 

And, here and there, a cavern wide 

Its shad'wy jaws display'd ; 
And near the sands, at ebb of tide, 
A shiver'd mast was seen to ride, 

Where the green billows stray'd. 

And often, while the moaning wind 

Stole o'er the summer ocean, 
The moonlight scene was all serene, 

The waters scarce in motion ; 
Then, while the smoothly slanting sand 
The tall cliff wrapp'd in shade, 
The Fisherman beheld a band 
Of spectres, gliding hand in hand, 

Where the green billows play'd. 

And pale their faces were as snow, 

And sullenly they wandered ; 
And to the skies, with hollow eyes, 

They look'd, as though they ponder'd. 
And sometimes, from their hammock shroud, 

They dismal bowlings made, 
And while the blast blew strong and loud 
The clear moon marked the ghastly crowd, 
Where the green billows play'd ! 

And then, above the haunted hut, 
The curlews screaming hover' d ; 

And 



174 HAUNTED BEACH. 

And the low door, with furious roar, 

The frothy breakers cover'd. 
For in the Fisherman's lone shed, 

A murder d man was laid, 
With ten wide gashes in his head ; 
And deep was made his sandy bed, 

Where the green billows play'd. 

A shipwreck'd mariner was he, 

Doom'd from his home to sever, 
Who swore to be, thro' wind and sea, 

Firm and undaunted ever; 
And when the waves resistless roll'd, 

About his arm he made 
A packet rich of Spanish gold, 
And, like a British sailor bold, 

Plung'd where the billows play'd 

The spectre band, his messmates brave, 

Sunk in the yawning ocean, 
While to the mast he lash'd him fast, 

And brav'd the storm's commotion : 
The winter moon upon the sand 

A silv'ry carpet made, 
And mark'd the sailor reach the land, 
And mark'd his murd'rer wash his hand, 
Where the green billows play'd. 



And, 



HAUNTED BEACH. 175. 

And, since that hour, the Fisherman 

Has toil'd and toil'd in vain ; 
For all the night the moony light 
Gleams on the spectred main! 
And when the skies are veil'd in gloom, 

The murd'rer s liquid way 
Bounds o'er the deeply yawning tomb, 
And flashing fires the sands illume, 

Where the green billows play ! 

Full thirty years his task has been, 

Day after day, more weary ; 
For Heav'n design'd his guilty mind 
Should dwell on prospects dreary. 
Bound by a strong and mystic chain, 

He has not pow'r to stray j 
But, destin'd mis'ry to sustain, 
He wastes, in solitude and pain, 
A loathsome life away. 



176 

SUBTERRANEAN TRAVELLER; 

OR, 

GHOST AND NO GHOST. 



I he following record is copied verbatim from 
an old newspaper — The Weekly Journal, or Bri- 
tish Gazetteer. 

" Bedlam, January 18, 1719. 
** It is not long since one of the female inha- 
bitants of these frantic territories gave the fol- 
lowing occasion for a very pleasing entertain- 
ment. Some bricklayers happened to be at work 
here, to repair and clean the passage leading to 
the common sewer; who going to dinner, and 
leaving the ladder which descended to it, stand- 
ing, the said unfortunate inhabitant had a sort 
of an odd notion, that the workmen had been 
prying into the secrets of the lower world, and 
therefore (nobody seeing her) she went down the 
ladder which led into the common sewer ; and, in 
that subterraneous cavern, finding none to control 
or stop her passage, she travelled, with great plea- 
sure and curiosity, till she came to Tokenhouse 
Yard, which is near half a mile. There it hap- 
pened, 



SUBTERRANEAN TRAVELLED. 177 

pened that a couple of young females, coming to 
the vault, heard a noise below, crying, ' Who the 
plague are ye? What d'ye make that noise fori 
What, is the devil in ye V Upon which, away flew 
the women, not staying to look behind them; and 
coming half-frightened into the house, said, the 
devil was in the vault. Accordingly, more com- 
pany going, they still heard the same noise. Upon 
which they called out, and asked, Who's there? 
What are ye?' ' The Devil, 7 replied the traveller 
below. ' How came you there? said they. 'Nay, 
how the devil know I?' answered the mad-woman. 
* Why don't you bring me a candle, that I may 
find my way?' Finding it certain to be a human 
voice, they feared somebody might accidentally 
have fallen in, and therefore they immediately 
went to work, to deliver the poor wretch from her 
suffocating thraldom, and found her a lamentable 
spectacle ; so that they began to question her how 
she came there, and where she lived. She answered 
that she ivas going to Hell, but had lost her way ; 
that there were several in her company, who had 
got thither, and the gate ivas shut upon them ; 
that she had lost her way, but should overtake 
them by and by. These wild expressions made 
some of them fancy she was a mad-woman ; and, 
after some consideration, they resolved to bring 
her hither, when she was presently owned, and 

the 



178 . SUBTERRANEAN TRAVELLER. 

the people that brought her let us into the story : 
but her head still rims on her journey, and she 
talks of little else." 



THE MILKMAN 



CHURCHYARD GHOST. 

A MAN much addicted to the heinous sin of 
drunkenness, in coming home late one winter's 
night, had to cross Stepney church-yard ; where, 
close to the foot path, a deep grave had been 
opened the day before. He, being very drunk, 
staggered into the grave ; it was a great mercy he 
did not break his neck, or any of his limbs; but, as 
it rained hard all night, and the grave was so deep 
that he could not got out, he had but an uncom- 
fortable bed. For some hours nobody passed by ; 
till, shortly after the clock had struck four, a milk- 
man, who had been to the cow-house for his milk, 
came by, and said to himself, " I wonder what 
o'clock it is." The man in the grave hallooed 
out, " Just gone four." The milkman seeing no- 
body, immediately conceived a ghost from one 
of the graves had answered him, and took to his 

heels 



THE MILKMAN, &C. , 179 

heels with such rapidity, that when he reached an 
ale-house he was ready to faint; and, what added 
to his trouble, in running, he so jumbled his pails 
as to spill great part of his milk. The people who 
heard his relation, believed it must have been a 
ghost that had answered him. The tale went round, 
and would have been credited, perhaps, till now, 
had not the drunkard, sitting one day in the very 
alehouse the milkman had stopped at, on hearing 
the story repeated, with a hearty laugh acknow- 
ledged himself to be the ghost, and that he had 
much enjoyed the jumbling of the man's pails, as 
he ran away, and the loss which it occasioned him. 



THE 

FAKENHAM GHOST. 

1 HE lawns were dry in Euston Park ; 

(Here truth inspires my tale) 
The lonely footpath, still and dark, 

Led over hilt and dale. 

Benighted was an ancient dame, 
And fearful haste she made 

To gain the vale of Fakenham, 
And hail its willow shade. 



Her 



189 FAKENHAM GHOST. 

Her footsteps knew no idle stops, 

But follow'd faster still ; 
And echo'd to the darksome copse 

That whisper'd on the hill. 

Where clara'rous rooks, yet scarcely hush'd, 

Bespoke a peopled shade; 
And many a wing the foliage brush'd. 

And hov'ring circuits made. 

The dappled herd of grazing deer, 
That sought the shades by day, 

Now started from her path with fear, 
And gave the stranger way. 

Darker it grew ; and darker fears 
Came o'er her troubled mind ; 

When, now, a short quick step she hears 
Come patting close behind. 

She turn'd ; it stopt ! — nought could she see 

Upon the gloomy plain ! 
But, as she strove the sprite to flee, 

She heard the same again. 

Now terror seiz'd her quaking frame : 

For, where the path was bare, 
The trotting ghost kept on the same J 

She mutter'd many a pray'r. 



Yet 



FAKENHAM GHOST. 13 

Yet once again, amidst her fright 

She tried what sight could do ; 
When through the cheating glooms of night, 

A monster stood in view. 

Regardless of whate'er she felt, 

It follow'd down the plain ! 
She own'd her sins, and down she knelt, 

And said her pray'rs again. 

Then on she sped ; and hope grew strong, 

The white park-gate in view, 
Which, pushing hard, so long it swung, 

That ghost and all past through. 

Loud fell the gate against the post, 

Her heart-strings like to crack, 
For much she fear'd the grisly ghost 

Would leap upon her back. 

Still on, pat, pat, the goblin went, 

As it had done before ; 
Her strength and resolution spent, 

She fainted at the door. 

Out came her husband, much surpris'dj 

Out came her daughter dear ; 
Good-natur'd souls, all unadvis'd 

Of what they had to fear. 

T Th. 



182 FAKENHAM GHdST. 

The candle's gleam pierc'd through the night, 
Some short space o'er the green ; 

And there the little trotting sprite 
Distinctly might be seen. 

An ass's foal had lost its dam 

Within the spacious park, 
And, simple as the playful Iamb, 

Had follow'd in the dark. 

No goblin he, nor imp of sin, 

No crimes he'd ev,er known. 
They took the shaggy stranger in, 

And rear'd him as their own. 

His little hoofs would rattle round 

Upon the cottage floor ; 
The matron learn'd to love the sound, 

That frighten'd her before. 

A favourite the ghost became, 

And 'twas his fate to thrive ; 
And long he liv'd, and spread his fame, 

And kept the joke alive. 

For many a laugh went through the vale, 

And some conviction too ; 
Each thought some other goblin tale 

Perhaps was just as true. 



1^3 



THE 

UNFORTUNATE PRIEST, 

AND 

DEAD BODY. 



In a province of Prussia, a man being dead, was 
carried, as is customary, into the church the 
evening previous to the day of his interment. It 
is usual to place the corpse in an open coffin ; and 
a priest, attended only by a boy of the choir, re- 
mains all night praying by the side of the dead 
body, and on the following day the friends of the 
deceased come to close up the coffin, and inter the 
corpse. On this occasion, after the evening service 
had been performed, every one retired from the 
church : and the priest, with the young chorister, 
withdrew to supper ; but soon returned, and 'the 
former commenced the usual prayers. What was 
his astonishment, when he beheld the dead body 
rise from the coffin, and advance towards him. 
Terrified in the extreme, the priest flew to the 
font; and, conjuring the corpse to return to its 
proper station, showered holy water on him in 
abundance. But the obstinate and evil-minded 
spirit, disregarding the power of holy water, 
T 2 seized 



184 UNFORTUNATE PRIEST. 

seized the unfortunate priest, threw him to the 
ground, and soon, by repeated blows, left him 
extended, without life, on the pavement. Having 
committed this act of barbarity, he appeared to 
return quietly to his coffin. On the following 
morning, the persons who came to prepare for the 
funeral, found the priest murdered, and the corpse, 
as before, in the coffin. Nothing could throw any 
light on this extraordinary event but the testimony 
of the boy, who had concealed himself on the first 
movement of the dead body, and who persisted 
in declaring, that he saw from his hiding-place the 
priest killed by the corpse. Conjecture, and en- 
deavours to discover the truth, were alike vain, 
tormenting, and fruitless. Many resources were 
tried ; for it was not every one that submitted 
themselves to the belief of a dead body rising to 
kill a priest, and then quietly resigning itself to 
the place of its consignment. Many years after- 
wards, a malefactor, condemned to death for va- 
rious crimes, and brought to the torture, confessed, 
that having (for some unknoivn reason) conceived 
an implacable hatred against the priest in question, 
he had formed the design of thus avenging him- 
self. Having found means to remain in the church, 
he seized the moment of the priest's retiring to 
supper, withdrew the dead body from the coffin, 
and placed himself in its stead, in the shroud and 

other 



UNFORTUNATE PRIEST. 185 

other appurtenances. After executing the murder 
of the priest, he returned the corpse to its place, 
and got unperceived out of the church, when the 
friends of the deceased came in the morning to 
attend the funeral. 



VIGIL OF SAINT MARK, 

OR 

FATAL SUPERSTITION. 

Rebecca was the fairest maid 
That on the Danube's borders play'd ; 
And many a handsome nobleman 
For her in tilt and tourney ran : 
While she, in secret, wished to see 
What youth her husband was to be. 

Rebecca heard the gossips say, 

" Alone, from dusk till midnight, stay 

Within the church-porch drear and dark, 

Upon the Vigil of St. Mark ; 

And, lovely maiden, you shall see 

What youth your husband is to be." 

i 3 Rebecca, 



18G VIGIL OF SAINT MARK. 

Rebecca, when the night grew dark, 
Upon the Vigil of St. Mark, 
Observ'd by Paul, a roguish scOut, 
Who guess'd the task she went about, 
Stepp'd to St. Stephen's church to see 
What youth her husband was to be. 

Rebecca heard the screech-owl cry, 
And saw the black-bat round her fly: 
She sat till, wild with fear at last, 
Her blood grew cold, her pulse beat fast ; 
And yet, rash maid, she stopp'd to see 
What youth her husband was to be. 

Rebecca heard the midnight chime 
Ring out the yawning peal of time. 
When shrouded Pan!, unlucky knave ! 
Rose, like a spectre from the grave, 
And cried — " Fair maiden, come with me, 
For I your bridegroom am to be." 

Rebecca turned her head aside, 

Sent forth a horrid shriek — and died ; 

While Paul confess'd himself in vain; 

Rebecca never spoke again. 

Ah ! little, hapless girl, did she 

Think Death her bridegroom was to be. 



Rebecca, 



VIGIL OF SAINT MARK. 1«7 

Rebecca, may thy story long 
Instruct the giddy and the young ! 
Fright not, fond youths, the timid fair : 
And you, too, gentle maids, beware ; 
Nor seek, by dreadful arts, to see 
WJiat youths your husbands are to be. 



FLOATING WONDER, 



FEMALE SPECTRE. 

The bridge over the river Usk, near Caerleon, in 
in Wales, is formed of wood, and very curiously 
constructed, the tide rising occasionally to the al- 
most incredible height of fifty or sixty feet. The 
boards which compose the flooring of this bridge 
being designedly loose, in order to float with the 
tide, when it exceeds a certain height, are pre- 
vented from escaping only by little pegs at the end 
of them ; which mode of fastening does not afford 
a very safe footing for the traveller, and some 
awkward accidents have been known to arise from 
this cause. The following singular adventure oc- 
curred about twenty years since to a female of the 
neighbourhood, as she was passing it at night. 

I 4 The 



188 FLOATING WONDER. 

The heroine in question was a Mrs. Williams, 
who had been to spend a cheerful evening at a 
neighbour's house on the eastern side of the river, 
and was returning home at a decent hour. The 
night being extremely dark, she had provided her- 
self with a lanthorn and candle, by the assistance of 
which she found her way to the bridge, and had 
already passed part of the dangerous structure, 
when she unfortunately trod on a plank that had 
by some accident lost the tenons originally fixed to 
the ends of it, and had slipped from its proper 
situation ; the faithless board yielded to the weight 
of the good lady, who was rather corpulent, and 
carried her through the flooring, with her candle 
and lanthorn, into the river. Fortunately, atthe 
moment of falling, she was standing in such a po- 
sition, as gave her a seat on the plank similar to 
that of a horseman on his nag. It may be easily 
imagined, that Mrs. Williams must have been 
dreadfully alarmed at this change of situation, as 
well as the difference of element. Blessed, how- 
ever, with great presence of mind, and a patient 
endurance of evil, the good lady was not over- 
whelmed by her fall, but steadily maintained her 
seat on the board ; taking care, at the same time, 
to preserve her candle lighted, rightly supposing 
it would serve as a guide to any one who might 
be able or willing to assist her. Thus bestriding 

the 



FLOATING WONDER. 139 

the plank, our heroine was hurried down the river 
towards Newport, the bridge of which, she trusted, 
would stop her progress, or that she might alarm 
the inhabitants with her cries. In both her hopes, 
however, she was disappointed : the rapidity of a 
spring tide sent her through the arch with the ve- 
locity of an arrow discharged from a bow, and the 
good people of the town had long been wrapped 
in slumber. Thus situated, her prospect became 
each moment more desperate; her candle was 
nearly extinguished ! and every limb so benumbed 
with cold, that she had the greatest difficulty in 
keeping her saddle. Already she had reached the 
mouth of the Usk, and was on the point of encoun- 
tering the turbulent waves of the British Channel, 
when the master of a fishing-boat, who was return- 
ing from his nightly toils, discovered the gleaming 
of her taper, and hearing her calls for assistance, 
though he at first thought her a witch, yet ven- 
tured to approach this floating wonder, and hap- 
pily succeeded in rescuing Mrs. Williams from a 
watery grave, and bringing her in safety to the 
shore in his boat. 

Thus was the life of a fellow-creature preserved 
by a poor fisherman's courage, in not being daunted 
by what he at first conceived a mysterious light 
proceeding from some sprite or hobgoblin ; but, 
from duly examining into causes, proved himself 
both a hero and friend. 

i 5 POOR 



190 



POOR MARY, 

THE MAID OF THE INN. 

Who is she, the poor maniac, whose wildly fix'd 
eyes 

Seem a heart overcharg'd to express? 
She weeps not, yet often and deeply she sighs ; 
She never complains, but her silence implies 

The composure of settled distress. 

No aid, no compassion, the maniac will seek ; 

Cold and hunger awake not her care : 
Through her rags do the winds of the winter blow 

bleak 
On her poor wither'd bosom, half bare ; and her 
cheek 
Has the deathly pale hue of despair. 

Yet cheerful and happy, nor distant the day, 

Poor Mary the maniac has" been ! 
The trav'ller remembers, who journey'd this way, 
No damsel so lovely, no damsel so gay, 
As Mary the Maid of the Inn, 

Her 



POOR MARY, &C. 191 

Heir cheerful address fill'd the guests with delight, 

As she welcom'd them in with a-smile: 
Her heart was a stranger to childish affright, 
And Mary would walk by the abbey at night, 
When the wind whistled down the dark aisle. 



She lov'd ; and young Richard had settled the day, 

And she hoped to be happy for life: 
But Richard was idle and worthless ; and they 
Who knew him would pity poor Mary, and say, 
That she was too good for his wife. 

Twas in autumn, and stormy and dark was the 
night, 

And fast were the windows and door; 
Two guests sat enjoying the fire that burnt bright, 
And, smoking in silence with tranquil delight, 

They listen'd to hear the wind roar, 

" 'Tis pleasant," cried one, " seated by the fire- 
side, 
To hear the wind whistle without." 
*' A fine night for the abbey !" his comrade replied, 
" Methinks, a man's courage would now be well 
tried, 
Who should wander the ruins about. 

i 6 "I myself, 



192 POOR MARY, 

" I myself, like a school-boy, should tremble to hear 

The hoarse ivy shake over my head ; 
And could fancy I saw, half-persuaded by fear, 
Some ugly old abbot's white spirit appear, 
For this wind might awaken the dead !" 

" I'll wager a dinner," the other one cried, 

" That Mary would venture there now." 
" Then wager and lose !" with a sneer, he replied, 
" I'll warrant she'd fancy a ghost by her side, 
And faint if she saw a white cow." 

" Will Mary this charge on her courage allow?" 

His companion exclaim'd with a smile; 
*.' I shall win, for I know she will venture there now. 
And earn a new bonnet by bringing a bough 
From the elder that grows in the aisle." 

With fearless good humour did Mary comply, 

And her way to the abbey she bent ; 
The night it was dark, and the wind it was high, 
And as hollowly howling it swept through the sky. 
She shiver'd with cold as she went. 

O'er the path so well known still proceeded the 
maid, 
Where the abbey rose dim on the sight. 

Through 



THE MAID OF THE INN. l9» 

Througli the gate-way she entered, she felt not 

afraid, 
Yet the ruins were lonely and wild, and their shade 
Seem'd to deepen the gloom of the night. 

All around her was silent, save when the rude blast 

Howl'd dismally round the old pile ; 
Over weed-eover'd fragments still fearless she past, 
And arriv'd in the innermost ruin at last, 
Where the elder-tree grew in the aisle. 

Well pleas'd did she reach it, and quickly drew 
near, 
And hastily gather'd the bough; 
When the sound of a voice seem'd to rise on her 

ear — 
She paus'd, and she listen'd all eager to hear, 
And her heart panted fearfully now. 

The wind bleu, the hoarse ivy shook over her head, 
She listen'd — nought else could she hear; 

The wind ceas'd; her heart sunk in her bosom 
with dread, 

For she heard in the ruins distinctly the tread 
Of footsteps approaching her near. 

Behind a white column, half breathless with fear. 
She crept to conceal herself there : 

That 



194 POOR MARY, 

That instant the moon o'er a dark cloud shone clear, 
And she saw in the moon-light two ruffians appear, 
And between them a corpse did they bear. 

Then Mary could feel her heart-blood curdle cold ! 

Again the rough wind hurried by — 
It blew off the hat of the one,* and, behold, 
Even close to the foot of poor Mary it roll'd — 

She felt, and expected to die. 

" Curse the hat !" he exclaims. " Nay, come on, 
and first hide 

The dead body," his comrade replies. ... 
She beheld them in safety pass on by her side. 
She seizes the hat, fear her courage supplied, 

And fast through the abbey she flies. 

She ran with wild speed, she rush'd in at the door, 
She gaz'd horribly eager around : 

Then her limbs could support their faint burden 
no more, 

And exhausted and breathless she sunk on the floor, 
Unable to utter a sound. 

Ere yet her cold lips could the story impart, 
For a moment the hat met her view — t 

* The hat of one of the ruffians, 
t She knew it to be Richard's hat. 

Her 



THE MAID OF THE INN. 195 

Her eyes from that object convulsively start, 
For, oh ! God ! what cold horror then thrill'd 
through her heart, 
When the name of her Richard she knew. 

Where the old abbey stands on the common hard by, 

His gibbet is now to be seen : 
Not far from the road it engages the eye, 
The trav'ller beholds it, and thinks, with a sigh, 

Of poor Mary, the Maid of the Inn. 

Southey's Poems, 



gii.es the shepherd, 

AND SPECTRE. 

******:'#***«**«#•***** * * * 

Giles, ere he sleeps, his little flock must tell. 
From the fire-side with many a shrug he hies, 
Glad if the full-orb'd moon salute his eyes. 

tJ- ***#*****,**** ****** * * * 

And down a narrow lane, well known by day, 
With all his speed pursues his sounding way, 
In thought still half absorb'd, and chill'd with cold^ 
When, lo ! an object frightful to behold, 

A grisly 



196 GILES THE SHEPHERD, 

A grisly spectre, cloth'd in silver grey, 
Around whose feet the waving shadows play, 
Stands in his path ! He stops, and not a breath 
Heaves from his heart, that sinks almost to death. 
Loud the owl hallooes o'er his head unseen ; 
All else is silence, dismally serene : 
Some prompt ejaculation, whisper'd low, 
Yet bears him up against the threat'ning foe ; 
And thus poor Giles, though half inclin'd to fly, 
Mutters his doubts, and strains his stedfast eye. 
" 'Tis not my crimes thou com'st here to reprove; 
No murders stain my soul, no perjur'd love: 
If thou'rt indeed what here thou seem'st to be, 
Thy dreadful mission cannot reach to me. 
By parents taught still to mistrust mine eyes, 
Still to approach each object of surprise, 
Lest fancy's formful vision should deceive 
In moonlight paths, or glooms of falling eve, 
'Tis then's the moment when my mind should try 
To scan the motionless deformity; 
But oh, the fearful task !— yet well I know 
An aged ash, with many a spreading bough, 
(Beneath whose leaves I've found a summer's bow'r, 
Beneath whose trunk I've weather'd many a show'r) 
Stands singly down this solitary way, 
But far beyond where now my footsteps stay. 
'Tis true, thus far I've come with heedless haste ; 
No reck'ning kept, no passing objects trac'd : 

And 



AND SPECTRE, 197 

And can I then have reach'd that very tree ? 
Or is its rev'rend form assum'd by thee V 
The happy thought alleviates his pain ; 
He creeps another step ; then stops again ; 
Till slowly as his noiseless feet drew near, 
Its perfect lineaments at once appear ; 
Its crowrt of shiv'ring ivy whispering peace, 
And its white bark that fronts the moon's pale face, 
Now, while his blood mounts upward, now he knows 
The solid gain that from conviction flows ; 
And strengthen'd confidence shall hence fulfil 
(With conscious innocence, more valued still) 
The dreariest task that winter nights can bring, 
By church-yard dark, or grove, or fairy ring ; 
Still buoying up the timid mind of youth, 
Till loit'ring reason hoists the scale of truth. 
With those blest guardians, Giles his course pursues, 
Till numbering his heavy-sided ewes, 
Surrounding stilness tranquillize his breast, 
And shape the dreams that wait his hours of rest. 

Bloomeield's Farmers Boy. 



198 



MAN WITH HIS HEAD ON FIRE, 

AND COVERED WITH BLOOD. 



1 he following singular adventure is related by a 
military captain. 

" I was coming home one night on horseback, 
from a visit I had been making to a number of the 
neighbouring villages, where I had quartered my 
recruits. It happened there had fallen a deal of 
rain that day, since noon, and during all the even- 
ing, which had broken up the roads, and it was 
raining still with equal violence ; but, being forced 
to join my company next morning, I set out, pro- 
vided with a lanthorn, having to pass a strait 
defile between two mountains. I had cleared it, 
when a gust of wind took off my hat, and carried 
it so far, that I despaired of getting it again, and 
therefore gave the matter up. By great good for- 
tune, I had with me my red cloak. I covered my 
head and shoulders with it, leaving nothing but 
a little hole to see my way, and breathe through ; 
and, for fear the wind should take a fancy to my 
cloak, as well as my hat, I passed my right arm 
round my body to secure it : so that, riding on in 

this 



MAN WITH HIS HEAD ON FIRE, &C 199 

this position, you may easily conceive my lanthorn, 
which I held in my right hand, was under my left 
shoulder. At the entrance of a village on a hill, 
I met three travellers, who no sooner saw me than 
they ran away as fast as possible. For my part, I 
went on upon the gallop ; and when I came into the 
town, alighted at an inn, where I designed to rest 
myself a little. Soon after, who should enter, but 
my three poltroons, as pale as death itself. They 
told the landlord and his people, trembling as they 
spoke, that in the road they had encountered a 
great figure of a man all over blood, whose head 
was like a flame of lire, and to increase the won- 
der, placed beneath his shoulder. He was mounted 
on a dreadful horse, said they, quite black behind, 
and grey before ; which, notwithstanding it was 
lame, he spurred and whipped right up the moun- 
tain with extraordinary swiftness. Here they 
ended their relation. They had taken care to 
spread the alarm as they were flying from this 
wondrous apparition, and the people had come 
with them to the inn in such a drove, that up- 
wards of an hundred were all squeezed together, 
opening both their mouths and ears at this tre- 
mendous story. To make up in some sort for my 
dismal journey, I resolved to laugh a little, and be 
merry at their cost, intending to cure them of such 
fright, by shewing them their folly in the present 

instance. 



200 MAN WITH HIS HEAD ON FIRE, <fcc. 

instance. With this view, I got upon my horse 
again, behind the inn, and went round about till I 
had rode the distance of a mile or thereabouts ; 
when, turning, I disposed of my accoutrements, 
that is to say, my cloak and lanthorn, as before, 
and on I came upon a gallop towards the inn. 
You should have seen the frighted mob of pea- 
sants, how they hid their faces at the sight, and 
got into the passage. There was no one but the 
host had courage to remain, and keep his eye upon 
me. I was now before the door, on which I 
shifted the position of my lanthorn, let my cloak 
drop down upon my shoulders, and appeared the 
figure he had seen me by his kitchen fire. It was 
not without real difficulty, we could bring the 
simple people who had crowded in for safety from 
their terror: the three travellers, in particular, as 
the first impression was still strong within them, 
they could not credit what they saw. We finished 
by a hearty laugh at their expence, and by drinking 
to the man whose head was like a flame of fire, 
and placed beneath his shoulder.", 



201 



INNOCENT DEVIL, 



AGREEABLE DISAPPOINTMENT. 

The following story is extracted from a letter I 
received, some time since, from a friend, on the 
subject of apparitions. 

" Returning, one evening in the summer, to my 
apartments, at a short distance from town, I was 
invited by my landlady, a brisk young widow, to 
partake of un petit souper, as she termed it. The 
invitation, of course, I accepted ; and, after a 
pleasant repast^ the cloth being removed, various 
conversation ensued, and the terminating subject 
was ghosts and hobgoblins. After my attention 
had been greatly excited by many dreadful re- 
citals, I thought I perceived something black 
glide swiftly by my feet. My back at that time 
being towards the door, I instantly turned round; 
and, perceiving the same to be shut, I fancied my 
fear to be only a chimrera arising from the subject 
we had been conversing on. I therefore reple- 
nished my glass ; and the subject of spectres was 
agafn renewed. In the midst of the discourse, 
when I was all attention to some dreadful tale, I 

■ felt 



202 IJSNOCENT DEVIL. 

felt something gently brush the bottom of my 
chair ; when, on looking down, I beheld the most 
hideous black figure imagination can conceive. 
It was a monster on all fours, with cloven feet, 
horns on its head, and a long tail trailing after it 
as it moved along. My terror, I will acknowledge, 
was so great, that I instantly jumped up as high as 
the table, and loudly vociferated, ' Lord have 
mercy upon me ! what is it?' My friendly hostess 
now begged me to sit down and be a little calm, 
and she would explain to me the cause of my 
alarm. The figure having again disappeared, the 
lady of the ceremonies thus addressed me — ' I 
beg your pardon, Sir, for the fright I have thus 
occasioned you. It is only a little joke I have 
been playing off, merely to see whether you were 
proof against supernatural appearances. A friend 
of mine having been to a masqued ball in a 
domino, I prepared the stratagem, by making a 
head-piece to the dress, with horns, false legs, 
cloven feet, and a tail. I then instructed my ser- 
vant, who was by agreement to be in the adjoining 
room, on hearing a certain part of my story, to 
open the door as softly as possible, and to make 
her entre in this habiliment. This she attempted 
before the plot was sufficiently ripe, when you 
turned round towards the door, and she retreated ._ 
The second attempt too effectually succeeded ; for 

which 



INNOCENT DEVIL. 203 

which I again ask your pardon, and am extremely 
sorry, though luckily it has had no bad effect. 
But 1 will never, while I live, again be induced to 
act so foolishly/ — " 



SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN. 

1 he following observations on that singular phe- 
nomenon called the Spectre of the Broken, in Ger- 
many, is related by Monsieur J. L. Jordan, in the 
following Avoids. 

" In the course of my repeated tours through 
the Harz (mountains in Germany), I ascended the 
Broken twelve times ; but I had the good fortune 
only twice (both times about Whitsuntide) to see 
that atmospheric phenomenon called the Spectre 
of the Broken, which appears to me so worthy of 
particular attention, as it must, no doubt, be ob- 
served on other high mountains, which have a 
situation favourable for producing it. The first 
time I was deceived by this extraordinary pheno- 
menon, I had clambered up to the summit of the 
Broken very early in the morning, in order to wait 
for the inexpressibly beautiful view of the sun 
rising in the east. The heavens were already 

streaked 



204 SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN. 

streaked with red; the sun was just appearing 
above the horizon in full majesty; and the most 
perfect serenity prevailed throughout the sur- 
rounding country; when the other Harz moun- 
tains in the south-west, towards the Worm moun- 
tains, &c. lying under the Broken, began to 
be covered by thick clouds. Ascending at that 
moment the granite rocks called the Tempelskan- 
zel, there appeared before me, though at a great 
distance, towards the Worm mountains and the 
Auchtermanshohe, the gigantic figure of a man, 
as if standing on a large pedestal. But scarcely 
had I discovered it, when it began to disappear; 
the clouds sunk down speedily, and expanded; 
and I saw the phenomenon no more. The se- 
cond time, however, I saw this spectre somewhat 
more distinctly, a little below the summit of the 
Broken, and near the Heinnichshohe, as I was 
looking at the sun-rising, about four o'clock in the' 
morning. The weather was rather tempestuous ; 
the sky towards the level country was pretty clear ; 
but the Harz mountains had attracted several 
thick clouds which had been hovering round them, 
and which, beginning on the Broken, confined the 
prospect. In these clouds, soon after *the rising 
of the sun, I saw my own shadow, of a monstrous 
size, move itself, for a couple of seconds, in the 
clouds; and the phenomenon disappeared. It is 

impossible 



SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN. 205 

impossible to see this phenomenon, except when 
the sun is at such an altitude as to throw his rays 
upon the body in an horizontal direction ; for if 
he is higher, the shadow is thrown rather under 
the body than before it. 

" In the month of September, last year, as I was 
making a tour through the Harz with a very agree- 
able party, and ascended the Broken, I found an 
excellent account and explanation of this pheno- 
menon, as seen by M. Haue on the 23d of May 
1797, in his diary of an excursion to that moun- 
tain ; I shall therefore take the liberty of tran- 
scribing it. 

- ' After having been here for the thirtieth time/ 
says M. Haue ; 'and, besides other objects of my at- 
tention, having procured information respecting the 
above-mentioned atmospheric phenomenon, I was 
at length so fortunate as to have the pleasure of 
seeing it ; and, perhaps, my description may afford 
satisfaction to others who visit the Broken through 
curiosity. The sun rose about four o'clock ; and, 
the atmosphere being quite serene towards the 
east, his rays could pass without any obstruction 
over the Heinnichshohe. In the south-west, how- 
ever, towards the Auchtermaunshohe, a brisk west 
wind carried before it their transparent vapours, 
which were not yet condensed into thick heavy 
clouds. About a quarter past four I went to- 
K wards 



206 SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN. 

wards the inn, and looked round to see whether 
the atmosphere would permit me to have a free 
prospect to the south-west ; when I observed, at a 
very great distance, towards the Auchtermaun- 
shohe, a human figure, of a monstrous size. A 
violent gust of wind having almost carried away 
my hat, I clapped my hand to it by moving my 
arm towards my head, and the colossal figure did 
the same. The pleasure which I felt on this dis- 
covery can hardly be described; fori had already 
walked many a weary step in the hope of seeing 
this shadowy image, without being able to satisfy 
my curiosity. I immediately made another move- 
ment by bending my body, and the colossal figure 
before me repeated it. I was desirous, of doing 
the same thing once more; but my colossus had 
vanished. I remained in the same position, wait- 
ing to see whether it would return ; and, in a few 
minutes, it again made its appearance in the Auch- 
termaunshohe. 1 paid my respects to it a second 
time, and it did the same to me. I then called 
the landlord of the Broken ; and, having both 
taken the same position which I had taken alone, 
we looked towards the Auchtermaunshohe, but saw 
nothing. We had not, however, stood long, when 
two such colossal figures were formed over the 
above eminence, which repeated our compliment, 
by bending their bodies as we did ; after which they 

vanished. 



SPECTRE OF THE BROKEN. 207 

vanished. We retained our position, kept our 
eyes fixed upon the same spot; and, in a little 
time, the two figures again stood before us, and 
were joined by a third. Every movement that we 
mad- by bending our bodies, these figures imi- 
tated ; but with this difference, that the pheno- 
menon was sometimes weak and faint, sometimes 
strong and well-defined. Having thus had an op- 
portunity of discovering the whole secret of this 
phenomenon, I can give the following information 
to such of my readers as may be desirous of seeing 
it themselves. When the rising sun (and, accord- 
ing to analogy, the case will be the same at the 
setting sun) throws his rays over the Broken upon 
the body of a man standing opposite to fine light 
clouds floating around or hovering past him, he 
needs only fix his eye stedfastly upon them, and 
in all probability he will see the singular spectacle 
of his own shadow extending to the length of five 
or six hundred feet, at the distance of about two 
miles from him. This is one of the most agree- 
able phenomena I have ever had an opportunity, 
of remarking on the great observations of Ger- 
many.' — " 



k 2 SIR 



SIR HUGH ACKLAND. 



The following remarkable fact shews the neces- 
sity of minutely examining people after death, 
prior to interment, and of not giving way to ridi- 
culous fears about supernatural appearances. 

The late Sir Hugh Ackland, of Devonshire, ap- 
parently died of a fever, and was laid out as dead. 
The nurse, with two of the footmen, sat up with 
the corpse ; and Lady Ackland sent them a bottle 
of brandy to drink in the night. One of the ser- 
vants, being an arch rogue, told the other, that 
his master dearly loved brandy when he was alive ; 
" and," says he, " I am resolved he shall drink 
one glass with us now he is dead." The fellow, 
accordingly, poured out a bumper of brandy, and 
forced it down his throat. A gurgling immedi- 
ately ensued, and a violent motion of the neck 
and upper part of the breast. The other footman 
and the nurse were so terrified, that they ran down 
stairs ; and the brandy genius, hastening away 
with rather too much speed, tumbled down stairs 
head foremost. The noise of the fall, and his 
cries, alarmed a young gentleman who slept in 

the 



SIR HUGH ACKLAND. 209 

the house that night ; who got up, and went to the 
room where the corpse lay, and, to bis great sur- 
prise, saw Sir Hugh sitting upright. He called 
the servants ; Sir Hugh was put into a warm bed, 
and the physician and apothecary sent for. These 
gentlemen, in a few weeks, perfectly restored their 
patient to health, and he lived several years after- 
wards. 

The above story is well known to the Devon- 
shire people ; as in most companies Sir Hugh 
used to tell this strange circumstance, and talk of 
his resurrection by his brandy footman, to whom 
(when he really died) he left a handsome annuity. 



AGREEABLE EXPLANATION. 

A gentleman of undoubted veracity relates 
the following story. 

" When I was a young man, I took up my re- 
sidence at a lodging-house, which was occupied 
by several families. On taking possession of my 
apartments, I agreed with the old lady of the 
house, who had two children, to accommodate 
me with a key to the street-door, to prevent un- 
necessary trouble to the servant or family, as I 
K 3 should 



210 AGREEABLE EXPLANATION. 

should very frequently stay out late in the even- 
ing. This was agreed to ; and, by way of making 
things more agreeable, I had always a light left 
burning for me on the staircase, which was oppo- 
site to the outer door. This arrangement being 
made, things continued very comfortable for some 
months ; till, one night, or rather morning, return- 
ing and opening the door as usual, I thought I 
heard a faint scream — I paused for a few seconds. 
The cry of ' Murder!' now feebly succeeded. I 
hesitated how to act, when the cry of ' Murder !' 
was again more loudly vociferated. This very 
much alarmed me ; and, instead of going forward, 
I instantly re-opened the street-door, and was in 
the act of calling the watch, when a tall spare 
figure, at least six feet high, in a complete white 
dress, and pointed cap, with a caiidle ia its hand, 
appeared before me. This unexpected encounter 
completed my astonishment, and I was about to 
speak, when the phantom (which proved to be my 
good old landlady) thus addressed me — ' I hope, 
Sir, I have not alarmed you ; but, just before you 
came to the door, I had a most frightful dream. I 
thought robbers had broken into my house, and, not 
content with plunder, had murdered my children, 
and were about to destroy me; when the noise 
you made on opening the door increased my 
agony of mind, and, before I was sufficiently sen- 
sible, 



AGREEABLE EXPLANATION. 211 

sible, I- screamed out Murder! as you must have 
heard/ This explanation having taken place, the 
poor woman retired, and was for several days after 
extremely ill ; and I was not a little pleased myself 
at finding what I at first supposed a supernatural 
encounter thus terminate, without having recourse 
to a divine exorcist." 



SOMERSETSHIRE DEMONIAC. 

On the 13th of June 1788, George Lukins, of 
Yatton, in Somersetshire, was exorcised in the 
Temple Church at Bristol, and delivered from the 
possession of seven devils by the efforts of seven 
clergymen. 

Lukins was first attacked by a kind of epileptic 
fit, when he was going about acting Christmas 
plays, or mummeries : this he ascribed to a blow 
given by an invisible hand. He was afterwards 
seized by fits; during which he declared with a 
roaring voice that he was the devil, and sung dif- 
ferent songs in a variety of keys. The fits always 
began and ended with a strong agitation of the 
right hand; he frequently uttered dreadful exe- 
K 4 crations 



212 SOMERSETSHIRE DEMONIAC. 

crations during the fits : and the whole duration of 
this disorder was eighteen years. 

At length, viz. in June 1788, he declared, that 
he was possessed by seven devils, and could only be 
freed by the prayers, in faith, of seven clergymen. 
Accordingly, the requisite number was summoned, 
and the patient sung, swore, laughed, barked, and 
treated the company with a ludicrous parody on 
the Te Deum. These astonishing symptoms re- 
sisted both hymns and prayers, till a small, faint 
voice admonished the ministers to adjure. The 
spirits, after some murmuring, yielded to the ad- 
juration; and the happy patient returned thanks 
for his wonderful cure. It is remarkable, that, 
during this solemn mockery, the fiend swore, by 
his infernal den, that he would not quit his pa- 
tient; an oath, I believe, no where to be found 
but in the Pilgrim's Progress, from whence Lukins 
probably got it. 

Very soon after the first relation of this story 
was published, a person well acquainted with Lu- 
kins, took the trouble of undeceiving the public, 
with regard to his pretended disorder, in a plain, 
sensible, narrative of his conduct. He asserts, 
that Lukins's first seizure was nothing else than a 
fit of drunkenness ; that he always foretold his 
fits, and remained sensible during their continu- 
ance. That he frequently saw Lukins in his fits; 

in 



SOMERSETSHIRE DEMONIAC. 213 

in every one of which, except in singing, he per- 
formed not more than most active young people 
can easily do. That he was detected in an im- 
posture with respect to the clenching of his hands. 
That after money had been collected for him, he 
got very suddenly well. That he never had any 
fits while he was at St. George's Hospital, in 
London ; nor when visitors were excluded from 
his lodgings by desire of the author of the narra- 
tive : and that he was particularly careful never 
to hurt himself by his exertions during the 
paroxysm. 

Is it for the credit of this philosophical age, 
that so bungling an imposture should deceive 
seven clergymen into a public act of exorcism? 
This would not have passed even on the authors 
of the Malleus Maleficarum ; for they required 
signs of supernatural agency, such as the suspen- 
sion of the possessed in the air without any visible 
support, or the use of different languages, unknown 
to the demoniac in his natural state. 



214 

THE MANIAC, 

OR 

FATAL EFFECTS OF WANTON MISCHIEF. 



Some years ago, a very intelligent, handsome, 
and promising youth, whose name is Henry Par- 
geter Lewis, the son of a respectable attorney, in 
the town of Dudley, was placed for a probation- 
ary time, previously to an intended apprentice- 
ship, with a surgeon and apothecary of the name 
of Powell, in the immediate neighbourhood of 
one of our great public schools. He had not been 
there long, before one of the scholars, who 
lodged at the surgeon's, in league with the ser- 
vant-boy of the house, devised the following stra- 
tagem to frighten him. One night, during an ab- 
sence of the master, the servant-boy concealed 
himself under the bed of Henry, before the latter 
retired to rest, and remained there till the hour 
of midnight; when, on a preconcerted signal of 
three raps at the chamber door, it suddenly 
opened, and in stalked the school-boy, habited in 
a white sheet, with his face horribly disguised, 
and bearing a lighted candle in his hand ; the 
servant-boy, at the same moment, heaving up 

the 



THE MANIAC, &C 215 

the bed under Henry with his back. How long 
this was acted is not known: it was done long- 
enough, however, completely to dethrone the rea- 
son of the unfortunate youth; who, it is supposed, 
immediately covered himself with the bed-clothes, 
and so continued till the morning. On his not 
rising at the usual time, some one of the family 
went to call him ; and, not answering, except by 
incoherent cries, was discovered in the state just 
described. 

The^ melancholy tidings of his situation were 
conveyed to his friends, on his removal to them ; 
the facts having been disclosed, partly by the 
confession of the servant-boy, and partly by the 
unfortunate youth himself, during the few lucid 
intervals which occurred in the course of the 
first year after his misfortune. 

His father and mother were then living, but 
they are now both dead : and the little property 
they left to support him is now nearly exhausted, 
together with a small subscription which was also 
raised to furnish him with necessaries, and to re- 
munerate a person to take care of him. He is 
perfeclly harmless and gentle, being rather in a 
state of idiotcy than insanity ; seldom betraying 
any symptoms of violent emotion, except occasion- 
ally about midnight (the time of his unhappy 
disaster), when, full of indescribable terror, he 
k 6 exclaims^ 



216 THE MANIAC, &C 

exclaims, " Oh! they are coming! they are 
coming !" All hope of recovery is at an end ; 
more than twenty years having elapsed since the 
catastrophe happened. 

It is sincerely hoped that this pitiable case may 
prove a warning to inconsiderate youth ; by shew- 
ing them what dreadful eftects may follow such 
wanton acts of mischief. 



EXTRAORDINARY 

DOUBLE DREAM, 

Without any Corresponding Event. 

The late Reverend Mr. Joseph Wilkins, a dis- 
senting clergyman, at Weymouth, in Dorsetshire, 
had the following remarkable dream, which is 
copied verbatim from a short account of his 
life". 

" One night, soon after I was in bed, I fell 
asleep, and dreamed I was going to London. I 
thought it would not be much out of my way to 
go through Gloucestershire, and call upon my 
friends there. Accordingly, I set out ; but re- 
member nothing that happened by the way, till 

I came 



EXTRAORDINARY DOUBLE DREAM. 217 

came to my father's house, when I went to the 
fore door and tried to open it, but found it fast ; 
then I went to our back door, which T opened 
and went in : but finding all the family were in 
bed, I went across the rooms only, and walked 
up stairs, entered the room where my father and 
mother were in bed, and as I passed by the side 
of the bed in which my father lay, I found him 
asleep, or thought he was so ; then I went to the 
other side, and as I just turned the foot of the 
bed, I found my mother awake, to whom I said 
these words, ' Mother, I am going a long journey, 
and am come to bid you good-bye ;' upon which 
she answered me in a fright — • O / dear son, thee 
art dead! with which I awoke, and took no no- 
tice of it more than a common dream, only it 
appeared to me very perfect, as sometimes dreams 
will. But, in a few days after, as soon as a letter 
could reach me, I received one by the post from 
my father; upon the receipt of which I was a little 
surprised, and concluded something extraordinary 
must have happened, as it was but a little before I 
had had a letter from my friends, and all were well : 
but, upon opening it, I was still more surprised ; 
for my father addressed me as though I was dead, 
desiring me, if alive, or whose ever hands the 
letter might fall into, to write immediately. But, 
if the letter found me living, they concluded I 

should 



218 EXTRAORDINARY DOUBLE DREAM. 

should not live long, and gave this as a reason for 
their fears — That on such a night (naming it), after 
they were in bed, my father asleep and my mother 
awake, she heard somebody try to open the fore 
door, but finding it fast, he went to the back 
door, which he opened, and came in, and went 
directly through the room up stairs, and she 
perfectly knew it to be my step, come to 
her bed-side, and spoke to her these words, 
* Mother, I am going a long journey, and am 
come to bid you good-bye ;' upon which she 
answered in a fright, ' 0/ dear son, thee art dead!' 
(which were the very circumstances and words of 
my dream) ; but she heard nothing more, she saw 
nothing (neither did I in my dream, as it was all 
dark). Upon this she awoke my father, and told 
him what had passed, but he endeavoured to ap- 
pease her, persuading her it was only a dream; 
but she insisted on it, it was no dream, for that 
she was as perfectly awake as ever, and had not had 
the least inclination to sleep since she had been in 
bed ^(from which I am apt to think it was at the 
very same instant with my dream, though the 
distance between us was about one hundred miles, 
but of this 1 cannot speak positively). This affair 
happened whilst I was at the academy at Ottery, 
in the county of Devon, and I believe in the year 
1754 ; and at this distance every circumstance is 

very 



EXTRAORDINARY DOUBLE DREAM. 219 

very fresh in my mind. I have since had frequent 
opportunities of talking over the affair with my 
mother, and the whole circumstance was as fresh 
upon her mind as it was upon mine. I have often 
thought that her sensation as to this matter was 
stronger than mine ; and, what some may think 
strange, 1 cannot remember any thing remarkable 
happened thereon ; and that this is only a plain 
simple narrative of matter of fact." 

The above relation must convince credulous 
people how necessary it is, not to place implicit 
confidence in dreams, or suffer them to make too 
great an impression on the mind, as they are most 
frequently merely the result of our waking 
thoughts. 



REMARKABLE INSTANCES 

OF THE 

POWEU OF VISION. 

.A shepherd upon one of the mountains in 
Cumberland, was suddenly enveloped with a thick 
fog or mist, through which every object appeared 
so greatly increased in magnitude, that he no 
longer knew where he was. In this state of con- 
fusion he wandered in search of some unknown 
ebject, from which he might direct his future 

steps. 



220 POWER OF VISION. 

steps. Chance, at last, brought this lost shepherd 
within sight of what he supposed to be a very 
large mansion, which he did not remember ever to 
have seen before ; but, on his entering this vision- 
ary castle, to inquire his way home, he found it 
inhabited by his own family. It was nothing more 
than his own cottage. But his organs of sight had 
so far* misled his mental faculties, that some little 
time elapsed before he could be convinced that he 
saw real objects. Instances of the same kind of 
illusion, though not to the same degree, are not 
unfrequent in those mountainous regions. 

From these effects of vision, it is evident that 
the pupil and the picture of an object within the 
eye, increase at the same time. 

The writer of the above account was passing 
the Frith of Forth, at Queensferry, near Edin- 
burgh, one morning when it was extremely foggy. 
Though the water is only two miles broad, the 
boat did not get within sight of the southern shore 
till it approached very near it. He then saw, to 
his great surprise, a large perpendicular rock, 
where he knew the shore was low and almost flat. 
As the boat advanced a little nearer, the rock 
seemed to split perpendicularly into portions, 
which separated at a little distance from one 
another. He next saw these perpendicular divi- 
sions move ; and, upon approaching a little nearer, 

found 



POWER OF VISION. 221 

found it was a number of people, standing on the 
beach, waiting the arrival of the ferry-boat. 

The following extract of a letter, from a gen- 
tleman of undoubted veracity, is another curious 
instance of the property of vision : — 

" When I was a young man, I was, like others^ 
fond of sporting, and seldom liked to miss a day, 
if I could any way go out. From my own house 
I set out on foot, and pursued my diversion on a 
foggy day ; and, after I had been out some time, 
the fog or mist increased to so great a degree, 
that, however familiar the hedges, trees, &c. were 
to me, I lost myself, insomuch that I did not 
know whether I was going to or from home. In a 
field where I then was, I suddenly discovered what 
I imagined was a well known hedge-row, inter- 
spersed with pollard trees, &c. under which I 
purposed to proceed homewards ; but, to my great 
surprise, upon approaching this appearance, I 
discovered a row of the plants known by the name 
of rag, and by the vulgar, canker weed, growing 
on a mere balk, dividing ploughed fields : the 
whole height of both coidd not exceed three feet, 
or three feet and a half. It struck me so forcibly 
that I shall never forget it ; this too in a field 
which I knew as well as any man could know a 
field." 



222 



THE 

PHILOSOPHER GASSENDI, 

AND THE 

HAUNTED BED-ROOM. 

In one of the letters of this celebrated philoso- 
pher, he says, that he was consulted by his friend 
and patron the Count d'Alais, governor of Pro- 
vence, on a phenomenon that haunted his bed- 
chamber while he was at Marseilles on some busi- 
ness relative to his office. The Count tells Gas- 
sendi, that, for several successive nights, as soon 
as the candle was taken away, he and his Countess 
saw a luminous spectre, sometimes of an oval, 
and sometimes of a triangular form ; that it always 
disappeared when light came into the room ; that 
he had often struck at it, but could discover nothing 
solid. Gassendi, as a natural philosopher, endea- 
voured to account for it; sometimes attributing it 
to some defect of vision, or to some dampness of 
the room, insinuating that perhaps it might be 
sent from Heaven to him, to give him a warning 
in due time of something that should happen. 
The spectre still continued its visits all the time 
that he staid at Marseilles ; and some years after- 
wards, on their return to Aix, the Countess d'Alais 

confessed 



PHILOSOPHER GASSENDI. 223 

confessed to her husband, that she played him this 
trick, by means of one of her women placed under 
the bed with a phial of phosphorus, with an in- 
tention to frighten him away from Marseilles, a 
place in which she very much disliked to live. 



GHOST ON SHIP-BOARD, 

A gentleman of high respectability in the 
navy relates the following story. 

" When on a voyage to New York, we had not 
beeu four days at sea, before an occurrence of a 
very singular nature broke in upon our quiet. 
It was a ghost ! One night, when all was still 
and dark, and the ship rolling at sea before the 
wind, a man sprung suddenly upon deck in his 
shirt, his hair erect, his eyes starting from their 
sockets, and loudly vociferating he had seen a 
ghost. After his horror had a little subsided, we 
asked him what he had seen ] — he said, the figure of 
a woman dressed in white, with eyes of flaming fire ; 
that she Came to his hammock, and stared him in 
the face. This we treated as an idle dream, and 
sent the frantic fellow to his bed. The story be- 
came the subject of every one ; and the succeeding 

night 



224 GHOST ON SHIP-BOARD. 

night produced half a dozen more terrified men 
to corroborate what had happened the first, ana 
all agreed in the same story, that it was a woman. 
This rumour daily increasing, at length came to 
the ears of the captain and officers, who were all 
equally solicitous to discover the true cause of this 
terrific report. I placed myself night by night 
beneath the hammocks to watch its appearance, 
but all in vain ; yej still the appearance was 
nightly, as usual, and the horrors and fears of the 
people rather daily increased than diminished. A 
phantom of this sort rather amused than perplexed 
my mind ; and when I had given over every idea of 
discovering the cause of this strange circumstance, 
and the thing began to wear away, I was surprised, 
one very dark night, as seated under the boats, 
with a stately figure in white stalking along the 
deck ! The singularity of the event struck my 
mind that this must be the very identical ghost 
which had of late so much disturbed the ship's 
company. I therefore instantly dropped down 
from the place I was in, to the deck on which it 
appeared, when it passed me immediately very 
quickly, turned round, and marched directly for- 
wards. I followed it closely, through the gallery, 
and out at the head-doors, when the figure in- 
stantly disappeared, which very much astonished 
me. I then leaped upon the forecastle, and asked 

of 



GHOST ON SHIP-BOARD. 225 

of the people who were walking there, if such a 
figure had passed them 1 They replied, No, with 
some emotion and pleasure, as I had ever ridiculed 
all their reports on this subject. However, this 
night-scene between me and the ghost became the 
theme of the ensuing day. Nothing particular 
transpired till twelve o'clock, when, as the people 
were pricking at the tub for their beef, it was 
discovered Jack Sutton was missing. The ship's 
company was directly mustered, and Jack was no 
where to be found. I then inquired of his mess- 
mates the character of the man ; and, after a num- 
ber of interrogatories, one of them said, that poor 
Sutton used to tell him a number of comical jokes 
about his walking in his sleep. Now the mystery 
was unravelled ; and this terrific ghost, which had 
so much alarmed all the sailors, now proved to be 
the poor unfortunate Jack Sutton, who had walked 
overboard in his dream. 

The first fellow who spread this report, and 
who shewed such signs of horror, was found on 
inquiry to be a most flagitious villain, who had 
murdered a woman, who he believed always 
haunted him, and the appearance of this sleep- 
walker confirmed in his mind the ghost of the 
murdered fair one ; for, in such cases, conscience 
is a busy monitor, and ever active to its own pain 
and disturbance. 

A REMARK. 



A REMARKABLE STORY 

OF 

A GHOST, 

Thrice called for, as an Evidence, in a Court 
of Justice. 

A farmer, on his return from the market at 
Southam, in the county of Warwick, was mur- 
dered. A man went the next, morning to his 
house, and inquired of the mistress, if her husband 
came home the evening before ; she replied, No, 
and that she was under the utmost anxiety and 
terror on that account. " Your terror," added 
he, " cannot equal mine ; for, last night, as I lay 
in bed quite awake, the apparition of your hus- 
band appeared to me, shewed me several ghastly 
stabs in his body, told me that he had been mur- 
dered by such a person (naming the man), and his 
body thrown into such a marl-pit, which he then 
particularly described. The alarm was given, 
the pit searched, the body found, and the wounds 
answered the description given of them. The 
man whom the ghost had accused was appre- 
hended, and committed, on a violent suspicion of 
murder. His trial came on at Warwick, before 
the Lord Chief Justice Raymond;, when the jury 
would have convicted, as rashly as the magistrate 

had 



REMARKABLE STORY OF A GHOST, &c. 227 

had committed him, had not the judge checked 
them. He addressed himself to them in words to 
this purpose — " I think, Gentlemen, you seem 
inclined to lay more stress on the evidence of an 
apparition than it will hear. I cannot say that I 
give much credit to these kind of stones : but, be 
that as it will, we have no right to follow our own 
private opinions here. We are now in a court of 
law, and must determine according to it; and I 
know of no law now in being, which will admit 
of the testimony of an apparition : nor yet, if it 
did, doth the ghost appear to give evidence. 
Crier," said he, " call the ghost." Which was 
thrice done, to no manner of purpose : it ap- 
peared not. " Gentlemen of the Jury," continued 
the Judge, " the prisoner at the bar, as you have 
heard by undeniable witnesses, is a man of the 
most unblemished character; nor has it appeared 
in the course of the examination, - that there was 
any manner of quarrel or grudge between him and 
the party deceased. I do believe him to be per- 
fectly innocent; and, as there is no evidence 
against him, either positive or circumstantial, he 
must be acquitted. But, from many circum- 
stances which have arisen during the trial, I do 
strongly suspect that the gentleman who saw the 
apparition was himself the murderer : in which case 
he might easily ascertain the pit, the wounds, &c. 

without 



228 REMARKABLE STORY OF A GHOST, &C. 

without any supernatural assistance ; and on sus- 
picion, I shall think myself justified in committing 
him to close custody, till the matter can be fairly 
inquired into. This was immediately done, and a 
warrant granted for searching his house; when 
such strong proofs of guilt appeared against 
him, that he confessed the murder : for which he 
was executed. 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 

BY MRS. ROBINSON. 

Watch no more the t\yinkling stars; 
Watch no more the chalky bourne; 
Lady, from the holy wars 
Never will thy love return ! 

Cease to watch, and cease to mourn ; 
Thy lover never will return ! 

*' Watch no more the yellow moon, 
Peering o'er the mountain's head ; 
Rosy day, returning soon, 

Will see thy lover pale and dead I 
Cease to weep, and cease to mourn ; 
Thy lover will no more return. 

" Lady, 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 229 

" Lady, in the holy wars, 

Fighting for the cross, he died ; 
Low he lies, and many scars 

Mark his cold and mangled side ; 
In his winding-sheet he lies. 
Lady, check those rending sighs. 

" Hark! the hollow-sounding gale 
Seems to sweep in murmurs by, 
Sinking slowly down the vale ; 
Wherefore, gentle lady, sigh? 

Wherefore moan, and wherefore sigh ? 
Lady, all that live must die. 

" Now the stars are fading fast, 

Swift their brilliant course are run : 
Soon shall dreary night be past, 
Soon shall rise the cheering sun ! 

The sun will rise to gladden thee ; 
Lady, lady, cheerful be." 

So spake a voice ; while, sad and lone, 

Upon a lofty tow'r reclin'd, 
A lady sat : the pale moon shone, 
And sweetly blew the summer wind ; 
Yet still, disconsolate in mind, 
The lovely lady sat reclin'd. 

l The 



230 LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 

The lofty tow'r was ivy-clad ; 

And round a dreary forest rose ; 

The midnight bell was tolling sad, 

'Twas tolling for a soul's repose. 

The lady heard the gates unclose, 
And from her seat in terror rose. 

The summer moon shone bright and clear ; 

She saw the castle gates unclose ; t 

And now she saw four monks appear, 
Loud chanting for a soul's repose. 
Forbear, O lady ! look no more : 
They pass'd — a livid corpse they bore. 

They pass'd, and all was silent now; 
The breeze upon the forest slept ; 
The moon stole o'er the mountain's brow ; 
Again the lady sighd and wept. 

She wateh'd the holy fathers go 
Along the forest path below. 

And now the dawn was bright; the dew 

Upon the yellow heath was seen ; 
The clouds were of a rosy hue, 
The sunny lustre shone between : 
The lady to the chapel ran, 
While the slow matin pray'r began. 

And 



LAD¥ OF THE BLACK TOWER. 231 

And then, once more, the fathers grey 
She mark'd, employ 'd in holy pray 'r; 
Her heart was full, she could not pray, 
For love and fear were masters there ! 
Ah, lady ! thou wilt pray, ere long, 
To sleep those lonely aisles among ! 

i\nd now the matin pray'rs were o'er; 
The barefoot monks, of order grey, 
Were thronging to the chapel door : 

When there the lady stopp'd the way ; [pale 
" Tell me," she cried, " whose corpse so 
Last night ye bore along the vale 1" 

" O lady ! question us no more : 

No corpse did we bear down the dale." 
The lady sunk upon the floor, 

Her quiv'ring lip was deathly pale ! 

The barefoot monks now whisper'd, sad, 
" God grant our lady be not mad !" 

The monks departing, one by one, 

The chapel gates in silence close, 
When from the altar steps of stone 
The trembling lady feebly goes; 

While morning sheds a ruby light, 
The painted windows glowing bright. 

L 2 And 



232 LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 

And now she heard a hollow sound ; 

It seein'd to come from graves below ; 
And now again she look'd around, 
A voice came murm'ring sad and slow 
And now she heard it feebly cry, 
" Lady, all that live must die ! 

" Watch no more from yonder tow'r, 
Watch no more the star of day ! 
Watch no more the dawning hour, 
That chases sullen night away ! 

Cease to watch, and cease to mourn ; 
Thy lover will no more return!" 

She look'd around, and now she view'd, 

Clad in a doublet gold and green, 

A youthful knight: he frowning stood, 

And noble was his mournful mien ; 

And now he said, with heaving sigh, 
" Lady, all that live must die." 

She rose to quit the altar's stone, 

She cast a look to heav'n, and sigh'd : 
When, lo ! the youthful knight was gone ; 
And, scowling by the lady's side, 

With sightless skull and bony hand, 
She saw a giant spectre stand ! 



His 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 233 

His flowing robe was long and clear, 

His ribs were white as drifted snow. 
The lady's heart was chill'd with fear; 
She rose, but scarce had power to go : 
The spectre grinn'd a dreadful smile, 
And walk'd beside her down the aisle. 

And now he wav'd his ratt'ling hand ; 

And now they reach'd the chapel door, 
And there the spectre took his stand ; 
While, rising from the marble floor, 
A hollow voice was heard to cry, 
" Lady, all that live must die. 

" Watch no more the evening star ! 

Watch no more the glimpse of morn I 
Never from the holy war, 
Lady, will thy love return! 

See this bloody cross ; and, see, 
His bloody scarf he sends to thee I" 

And now again the youthful knight 
Stood smiling by the lady's side ! 
His helmet shone with crimson light, 
His sword with drops of blood was dy'd : 
And now a soft and mournful song 
Stole the chapel aisles among. 

l 3 Now 



234 LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 

Now from the spectre's paley cheek 

The flesh began to waste away ; 
The vaulted doors were heard to creak, 
And dark became the summer day ! 

The spectre's eyes were sunk, but he 
Seeni'd with their sockets still to see ; 

The second bell is heard to ring : 

Four barefoot monks, of orders grey, 
Again their holy service sing, 

And round their chapel altar pray : 
The lady counted o'er and o'er, 
And shudder'd while she counted four! 

" Oh ! fathers, who was he, so gay, 

That stood beside the chapel door ? 
Oh ! tell me, fathers, tell me, pray." 
The monks replied, " We fathers four : 
Lady, no other have we seen, 
Since in this holy place we've been \" 

PART SECOND. 

Now the merry bugle-horn 

Through the forest sounded far ; 
When on the lofty tow'r, forlorn, 
The lady watch'd the evening star; 

The evening star that seemed to be 
Rising from the dark'ned sea. 

The 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 23& 

The summer sea was dark and still, 

The sky was streak'd with lines of gold, 
The mist rose grey above the hill, 
And low the clouds of amber roll'd: 
The lady on the lofty tow'r 
Watch'd the calm and silent hour. 

And while she watch'd, she saw advance 
A ship, with painted streamers gay : 
She saw it on the green wave dance, 
And plunge amid the silver spray 3 

While from the forest's haunts forlorn, 
Again she heard the bugle horn. 

The sails were full ; the breezes rose ; 
The billows curl'd along the shore ; 
And now the day began to close — 
The bugle horn was heard no more. 
But, rising from the wat'ry way 
An airy voice was heard to say — 

" Watch no more the evening star; 
Watch no more the billowy sea; 
Lady, from the holy war, 

Thy lover hastes to comfort thee : 
Lady, lady, cease to mourn ; 
Soon thy lover will return." 

Now 



m LADY OF THE BLACK TOWEt 

Now she hastens to the bay ; 

Now the rising storm she hears : 
Now the sailors smiling say, 

" Lady, lady, check your fears : 
Trust us, lady; we will be 
Your pilots o'er the stormy sea." 

Now the little bark she view'd, 

Moor'd beside the flinty steep ; 
And now, upon the foamy flood, 
The tranquil breezes seemed to sleep. 
The moon arose ; her silver ray 
Seem'd on the silent deep to play. 

Now music stole across the mainr 

It was a sweet but mournful tone ; 
It came a slow and dulcet strain; 

It came from where the pale moon shone : 
And while it pass'd across the sea, 
More soft and soft it seem'd to be. 

Now on the deck the lady stands. 

The vessel steers across the main ; 
It steers towards the Holy Land, 
Never to return again : 

Still the sailors cry, " We'll be 
Your pilots o'er the stormy sea." 



Now 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 231 

Now she hears a low voice say, 

Deeper, deeper, deeper still ; 

Hark ! the black'ning billows play ; 

Hark ! the waves the vessel fill : 

Lower, lower, down we go ; 

All is dark and still below." 

Now a flash of vivid light 

On the rolling deep was seen I 
And now the lady saw the knight, 

With doublet rich, of gold and green : 
From the sockets of his eyes, 
A pale and streaming light she spies. 

And now his form transparent stood, 

Smiling with a ghastly mien : 
And now. the calm and boundless flood 
Was like the emerald, bright and green ; 
And now 'twas of a troubled hue, 
While " Deeper, deeper," sang the crew. 

Slow advanced the morning light, 

Slow they plough'd the wavy tide ; 
When, on a cliff of dreadful height, 
A castle's lofty tow'r they spied : 
The lady heard the sailor-band 
Cry, " Lady, this is Holy Land. 

" Watch 



38 LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 

" Watch no more the glittering spray ; 

Watch no more the weedy sand ; 
Watch no more the star of day ; 
Lady, this is Holy Land : 

This castle's lord shall welcome thee ; 
Then, lady, lady, cheerful be I" 

Now the castle-gates they pass; 

Now across the spacious square, 
Cover'd high with dewy grass, 
Trembling steals the lady fair : 

And now the castle's lord was seen. 
Clad in a doublet gold and green. 

He led her through the Gothic hall, 

With bones and skulls encircled round ; 
" Oh, let not this thy soul appal !" 
He cried, " for this is holy ground." 

He led her through the chambers lone, 
'Mid many a shriek and many a groan. 

Now to the banquet-room they came: 

Around a table of black stone, 
She mark'd a faint and vapoury flame ; 
Upon the horrid feast it shone — 

And there, to close the madd'ning sight, 
Unnumber'd spectres met the light. 

Theiy 



LADY OF THE BLACK TOWER. 239 

Their teeth were like the brilliant, bright ; 
Their eyes were blue as sapphire clear; 
Their bones were of a polish'd white ; 
Gigantic did their ribs appear ! 

And now the knight the lady led, 
And placed her at the table's head ! 

Just now the lady woke : — for she 

Had slept upon the lofty tow'r, 
And dreams of dreadful phantasie 

Had fill'd the lonely moonlight hour : 
Her pillow was the turret stone, 

And on her breast the pale moon shone. 

But now a real voice she hears : 

It was her lover's voice ; for he, 
To calm her bosom's rending fears, 
That night had cross'd the stormy sea : 
" I come," said he, " from Palestine, 
To prove myself, sweet Lady, thine." 



INDEX, 



INDEX 



ACKLAND, Sir Hugh, his Extraordinary Resus- 
citation Page 20$ 

Agreeable Explanation 209 

Aix-la-Chapelle, Extraordinary Event at , . 29 

Anatomical Professor, and the Dead Man . . 75 

Apparitions, Essay on ....... 13 

Apparition, the Castle 143 

Apparition Investigated 16T 

B. 
Bed-Room, the Haunted . , . . .41 

Benighted Traveller, and Haunted Room . . If 

Bishop, the Credulous ....... 116 

C. 

Carrier, the Frightened 158 

Castle Apparition ....... 143 

Castle, Haunted . 152 

Chimney-Sweep, and Drunken Bucks .... 80 
Church-Yard Encounter, or Heroic Midshipman . 122 

Church-Yard Ghost, and Milkman .... 178 

Club-Room Ghost .159 

Cock-Lane Ghost 125 

College Ghost, or Double Mistake .... 150 

Couple, the Superstitious . . „ . . .39 
Credulous Bishop . . . . . , . .116 

Credulous Peasants ....... 94 

Cripplegate Ghost .81 

D. 
Dead Body, and Unfortunate Priest . . . .183 
Dead Man, and Anatomical Professor ... 75 

Dominican Friar 29 

Double Mistake, or College Ghost . . . .150 

Drunken Bucks, and Chimney Sweep .... 80 

E. 

Essay on Apparitions, &c 13 

Extraordinary Double Dream 216 

Fakenham 



INDEX. 241 

F. 

Fakenham Ghost . . . . . . Page 179 

Fatal Superstition 185 

Fatal Effects of Wanton Mischief . >. . .214 

Female Fanatic, and Heavenly Visitor ... 59 

Female Sprites 64 

Floating Wonder, or Female Spectre . . . .1ST 

Friar, the Dominican 29 

Frightened Carrier 158 

Funeral, the Ideot's 55 

G. 
Gassendi, the Philosopher, and Haunted Bed-Room . 222 
Giles the Shepherd, and Spectre . . . .195 

Ghost of the Field, or the Twins 147 

Ghost, and no Ghost 176 

Ghost on Ship-Board 223 

Ghostly Adventurer H" 

Ghost, thrice called for, as an Evidence in a Court of 

Justice 226 

H. 

Hammersmith Ghost 156 

Haunted Beach, or Power of Conscience on a Murderer 172 

Haunted Bed-Room 41 

Haunted Bed-Room, and Benighted Traveller . . 170 

Haunted Castle 152 

Haunted Castle, and Mareschal Saxe . . . .103 
Heavenly Visitor, and Female Fanatic ... 59 

Heroic Midshipman, or Church- Yard Encounter . 122 

Hypochondriac Gentleman, and Jack Ass . . 138 

Ideot's Funeral 55 

Imagination, Remarkable Instance of the Power of . 45 

Innocent Devil, or Agreeable Disappointment . 201 

J. 

Jealousy, Fatal Fffects of, or the Prussian Domino . 66 

L. 

Lady of the Black Tower 228 

Lunatic. 



242 INDEX. 

Lunatic Apparition Page 162" 

M. 

Maniac; or, Fatal Effects of Wanton Mischief . 214 

Man with his Head on Fire, and covered with Blood 198 

Mareschal Saxe, and the Haunted Castle . . . 103 

Mary (Poor), the Maid of the Inn .... 190 

Midshipman, Heroic, and Church-Yard Encounter . 122 

Milkman, and Church- Yard Ghost . . . . 178 

N. 
Nocturnal Disturbers 95 

P. 
Peasants, the Credulous 94 

Poor Mary, the Maid of the Inn . • . . .190 
Power of Conscience on a Murderer .... 172 
Priest, the Unfortunate, and Dead Body . . . 183 
Prussian Domino, or Fatal Effects of Jealousy . . 66 

R. 
Resuscitation, Remarkable ...... 113 

Remarkable Effects of the Power of Vision . . 219 

S. 
School-Boy Apparition . . .91 

Sir Hugh Ackland '. 208 

Somersetshire Demoniac ...... 211 

Sprites, the Female . 64 

Spectre of the Broken . . . . . . .203 

Superstitious Couple 39 

Subterranean Traveller, or Ghost and No Ghost . . 176 
Supposed Supernatural Appearance .... 164 
Sweep, and Drunken Bucks 80 

T. 
Twin Brothers, or Ghost of the Field . . .147 

V. 

Ventriloquist 57, 83 

Vigil of St Mark, or Fatal Superstition . . .185 
Vision, Remarkable Effects of the Power of . . 219 

W. 
Westminster Scholars^ and Hackney Coachman . 51. 

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